Afc Champions League Slot
ESPN staff The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Tuesday recommended that the coveted AFC Champions League slot be granted to the winners of the Indian Super League (ISL), effectively. The AFC Champions League kicked off on February 10 but with the teams from China, the early epicentre of the virus, abstaining from action. Soon enough, however, Asian football came to a.
Suzhou: Beijing FC will play in the 2021 edition of the AFC Champions League after Bruno Genesio’s side claimed China PR’s third berth in the Continental competition as they completed a 3-2 aggregate win over Shanghai SIPG on Wednesday.
Brazil-born striker Alan Carvalho saw his 31st minute goal cancelled out by Shanghai’s Ricardo Lopes in the 47th minute as the teams shared a 1-1 draw that meant Beijing won 3-2 on aggregate to claim third place in the 2020 Chinese Super League standings.
Beijing join Guangzhou Evergrande and Jiangsu Suning, who play in the second leg of the Chinese Super League playoff final on Thursday, in qualifying for next year’s competition.
Shanghai can still book a place in the competition if they win the Chinese FA Cup next month or if one of the three teams that finished above them in the Chinese Super League claim the knockout competition.
Genesio’s side held a 2-1 lead after the first leg on Saturday and extended their advantage just after the half hour mark when Zhang Yuning slipped the ball through to former Guangzhou striker Alan, and he buried his right foot shot into the far corner of Chen Wei’s goal.
But two minutes after the restart SIPG were level on the night when Ricardo Lopes scored from close range after goalkeeper Hou Sen had parried Hulk’s initial shot into his path.
Shanghai then missed the chance to level the scores on aggregate when Hulk’s effort from a tight angle on the left beat Hou before clipping the outside of the upright while Marko Arnautovic was denied by the Beijing keeper in spectacular fashion deep into injury time.
Earlier in the day, Shijiazhuang Ever Bright saw their hopes of avoiding relegation come to an end as two goals from Jean Kouassi kept Wuhan Zall’s Chinese Super League chances alive.
After playing out a scoreless draw in the first meeting on Saturday, Wuhan took the lead through Kouassi in the 15th minute before Matheus Nascimento levelled nine minutes into the second half.
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Afshin Ghotbi’s side were condemned to spending next season in China League One four minutes from time when Kouassi scored his second of the game to send Shijiazhuang down.
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Wuhan, however, are not clear of relegation danger and they will face China League One runners-up Zhejiang Greentown in a playoff later in the month.
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Photos: SINA Sports, AFP