A double by top-scorer Ricardo Goulart proved just the tonic as 2013 champions Guangzhou Evergrande beat Kashima Antlers 4-3 to close in on a spot in the AFC Champions League knock-out round on Wednesday.
Chinese club football’s record signing kept up his phenomenal strike rate with his fifth and sixth goals in just three games as Fabio Cannavaro’s side went five points clear in Group H.
However, Guangzhou needed the Brazilian’s goals in a pulsating match, which Kashima briefly led before succumbing to the Chinese champions’ superior firepower.
Photo: AFP
Goulart opened the scoring with a looping header on 9 minutes, after losing his marker in a free-kick routine straight off the training ground.
Kashima hit back through Hiroyuki Takasaki’s close finish on the rebound on 36 minutes, before Shoma Doi gave the visitors a shock lead after half-time.
However, Guangzhou quickly equalized when Elkeson nodded in a carbon-copy of Goulart’s goal from another free-kick, before setting up his fellow Brazilian for the third.
Photo: AFP
Goulart picked up the loose ball after Elkeson’s strong challenge and he surged into a gap between two defenders before firing in off the upright.
Substitute Zhao Xuri scrambled Guangzhou’s fourth in injury time before Gaku Shibasaki’s bullet header seconds later — but with no time for Kashima to grab an equalizer.
Holders and group rivals Western Sydney Wanderers drew 0-0 with FC Seoul to leave Guangzhou already eyeing the last 16 with three pool games to go.
Elsewhere, Australian champions Brisbane Roar had to scramble to rescue a point against Suwon Bluewings in Group G, despite being two-up in the first 22 minutes.
In a thrilling match, Brandon Borrello and Devante Clut gave the hosts the two-goal cushion before the South Korean side fought back with a brace from Seo Jung-Jin.
North Korean striker Jong Tae-Se appeared to have secured a famous win on 71 minutes, before Clut spared Brisbane’s blushes with his equalizer with 10 minutes to go.
In Group F, Theerathon Bunmathan leveled on 62 minutes as Thailand’s Buriram United held Japanese treble-winners Gamba Osaka 1-1 away.
In west Asia, Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli went three points clear at the top of Group D after they beat Iran’s Tractorsazi 2-0.
Taisir al-Jassim was Al Ahli’s hero as he struck in the 72nd and 80th minute to help his team to their second win in three matches.
The United Arab Emirates’ Al Ahli, however, remained at the bottom of the group after a goalless draw with Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf.
In Group B, the UAE’s Al Ain secured a valuable away win, beating Uzbek giants Pakhtakor 1-0 in Tashkent to go top.
Slovakian Miroslav Stoch scored the only goal of the match in the 61st minute, but was sent off with 15 minutes remaining.
The 2003 Asian champions dominated the game, despite the absence of star players Asamoah Gyan and Omar Abdulrahman, and went ahead when Stoch’s long-range shot beat Pakhtakor goalkeeper Alexander Lobanov all ends up.
Having drawn their two previous games against Iran’s Naft Tehran and Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab, Al Ain needed a win to boost their chances of advancing, and despite periods of intense pressure managed to hold out for a deserving win.
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