Guangzhou stopped short by Shanghai

Saturday, 07 July 2012 15:15

Shanghai: A stoppage time goal by Shanghai Shenxin dashed 2012 AFC Champions League quarter-finalists Guangzhou Evergrande’s hopes of extending their healthy lead by another three points when they drew 1-1 in their Chinese Super League match. Marcello Lippis’s side, the reigning Chinese champions who were unbeaten in the last seven matches, visited Shanghai Shenxin who on the other hand were without a win in their last six.  Although the match looked lopsided, it took the Evergrande until the 61st minute to take the lead through Brazilian striker Muriqui (Luiz Guilherme da Conceição Silva) who scored his 10th goal in 12 matches in the current season. It seemed Shanghai were done but a last-minute piece of good fortune came in the form of a spot-kick in the extra time of the second half which Brazilian import Anselmo (Anselmo Tadeu Silva do Nascimento) made good of, ensuring both teams would share the points. The draw saw Guangzhou extending their lead from seven points to eight points at the top of the table in the 16-team league. They could have extended the lead to the loftier 10 points had they won the game. ACL debutants Guangzhou Evergrande will face Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals of this year's edition of Asia's premier club competition with the Chinese side travelling to Jeddah for the first leg on September 19 before hosting the 2004 and 2005 ACL champions on October 2.