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AFC Champions League 2015
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Guangzhou Evergrande's Ricardo Goulart slots home from the penalty sport against Seongnam FC at Tianhe Stadium. Photos: Xinhua

Guangzhou Evergrande reach AFC Champions League quarter-finals

Fabio Cannavaro's side overturns a first-leg deficit to see off South Korea's Seongnam FC 3-2 on aggregate

Guangzhou Evergrande sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday night with coach Fabio Cannavaro hailing the club's Chinese players.

They saw off South Korea's Seongnam FC with a 2-0 win at Tianhe Stadium that ensured a 3-2 aggregate win.

In the absence of four key foreigners, [the Chinese players] had a lot of responsibility and they achieved a great victory
Guangzhou Evergrande coach Fabio Cannavaro

Two goals from Ricardo Goulart, who opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 27th minute before adding a second three minutes before the hour mark, saw the 2013 champions overcome a 2-1 first-leg deficit to book their berth in the last eight of the competition for the fourth year in a row.

"Ricardo Goulart is an extraordinary player," said Cannavaro of a player who has now scored eight goals in eight games to become the leading scorer in this year's competition so far.

"But I would like to show my appreciation for the Chinese players because in the absence of four key players, they had a lot of responsibility and they achieved a great victory."

Guangzhou were missing Brazilian strike duo Elkeson - who is out with a thigh complaint - and long-term casualty Alan while South Korean World Cup defender Kim Young-gwon was also missing.

Zhang Linpeng hobbled off after just nine minutes to further add to Cannavaro's woes as the depth of his squad continues to be tested before Goulart scored the opener from the penalty spot when Kwak Hae-sung was judged to have handled in the area.

That made the scores level on aggregate with Guangzhou holding the advantage due to the goal they scored in Korea last week. But Goulart put the result beyond any doubt in the 57th minute when he headed home Zheng Long's corner.

The win was the first time since making their debut in the tournament in 2012 that Guangzhou had advanced in the tournament after suffering a first-leg deficit.

Cannavaro stressed that despite numerous personal changes since that success, the team retained the spirit of that championship-winning side.

Guangzhou Evergrande's Feng Xiaoting and Ricardo Bueno of Seongnam FC compete for the ball.
"Two years ago we were the Asian champions and we have rich experience from that," he said. "Despite the changes in personnel since then, what makes us really strong is still there: the spirit of the team. So in difficult times we can call upon the spirit and unity and still be the best team in China."

Gamba Osaka joined Guangzhou Evergrande in the quarter-finals after the Japanese side beat FC Seoul 3-2 at home to complete a comprehensive 6-3 aggregate victory.

Forward Takashi Usami played a key role in the opening goal for Gamba, drawing several defenders before dinking over a cross for Patric to head home after 16 minutes.

Gamba struck again in the final minute of the first half through Shu Kurata.

Yun Ju-tae turned in Shim Je-hyuk's cross in the 58th minute for Seoul, but substitute Lins headed in Hiroko Fujiharu's cross four minutes from time. Yun grabbed his second in stoppage time for the battling Korean side.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Evergrande rise to the occasion
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