Guangzhou Evergrande on verge of AFC Champions League final after stirring comeback against Gamba Osaka
After beating the Japanese side 2-1 at home in semi-final first leg, the 2013 winners eye return to the continental finale
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Guangzhou Evergrande coach Luiz Felipe Scolari made a speedy departure from Tianhe Sport Centre Stadium on Wednesday night to scout preseason training bases in Portugal, a camp which he hopes will be the start of the 2016 season for the prospective Chinese and continental champions.
Four-time domestic champions Guangzhou are currently two points clear of Shanghai SIPG at the top of the Super League table with only three games remaining, and after beating Japan's Gamba Osaka 2-1 at home in an AFC Champions League semi-final first leg, the 2013 winners are on the verge of a return to the continental final.
Japanese treble winners and 2008 AFC Champions League victors Gamba, who were unbeaten in their last eight games in the competition before arriving in southern China, briefly silenced the partisan crowd through a 12th-minute own goal from Feng Xiaoting as the Guangzhou defender attempted to stop Hiroyuki Abe's cross reaching Brazilian striker Patric on the edge of the six-yard area.
But then China international Huang Bowen added another eye-catching strike to his continental tally this season 10 minutes before half-time following a fine assist from Guangzhou's Brazilian Paulinho. The midfielder arrowed a stunning twisting half volley into the top corner from 10 yards out to drag the Super League champions level.
It was a difficult game as both teams are very balanced in terms of strength
Captain Zheng Zhi then headed home three minutes before the hour mark to complete the turnaround for the hosts and put them in the drivers' seat.
On Tuesday in Riyadh, 2014 finalists Al Hilal were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Ahli, who will host the return fixture in Dubai on October 20 a day before Gamba entertain Guangzhou in Osaka.
"It was a difficult game as both teams are very balanced in terms of strength," said coach Scolari, who has not lost a game in charge of Guangzhou, having taken over from Italian Fabio Cannavaro in June after the defeat by Korea Republic's Seongnam FC in the last-16 of the AFC Champions League. "It will take 180 minutes so let's wait for the next leg to see how it goes."
Guangzhou do need to negotiate this month's second leg at Gamba's Expo '70 Commemorative Stadium, with a place in November's two-legged final against either Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal at stake, but Scolari's side have now not lost in any competition for over four months.
Former Benfica forward Lima fired the UAE visitors ahead in front of over 53,000 in the Saudi capital with 54 minutes on the clock.
Fellow Brazilian Ailton Almeida equalised for the home side with eight minutes remaining to leave the tie poised ahead of the second leg.
