bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Nazvi Careem

South China took the upper hand in their AFC Cup quarter-final against Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim after earning a 1-1 draw in the first leg on Tuesday night in Johor Bahru.
The Hong Kong side overcame a passionate crowd of 14,700 and a determined host side - who are now unbeaten at home in 17 matches - and will be looking to secure their passage into the semi-finals when the two sides meet again on September 15 at Mong Kok Stadium.

Awal Mahama was South China’s hero, scoring the equaliser 17 minutes after Argentine Luciano Figuerao had put the home side ahead from the penalty spot in the 47th minute.
I thought we were the better team and deserved the result. If you asked me before the match will I accept 1-1, I would say definitely
Casemiro Mior, South China coach
“I thought we were the better team and deserved the result,” said South China coach Casemiro Mior. “If you asked me before the match will I accept 1-1, I would say definitely.
“I’m very proud of my players. We respect Johor but we never played for a draw. We wanted to win.”
Goalscorer Mahama admitted the players were slightly nervous playing in front of 14,700 people, something they don’t often do in Hong Kong.
“We were a bit nervous but I think we handled it well. We’ve played in big crowds before and we showed what we can do,” he said.

JDT coach Mario Gomez, the former South China coach, said the players tired towards the end of the match.
“We have played eight games in 25 days and after 70 minutes the players were tired. And that is the truth,” he said.
“I know South China will chase everything and it was difficult for us when we were physically not so good.
“Now it’s a case of resting and working for the return leg. We must do some work and I think we can win in Hong Kong.”
We have played eight games in 25 days and after 70 minutes the players were tired. And that is the truth
JDT coach Mario Gomez, who was previously South China coach 
JDT’s Ultras supporters created an intimidating atmosphere for the visitors, with their incessant pounding of drums and chanting of state and team anthems.
South China, though, did not appear overawed. The Hong Kong side rarely ventured into the opposition’s third but had the better of the opening exchanges, with defender Bojan Malisic seeing his scissor kick in the third minute brilliantly saved by JDT goalkeeper Izham Tarmizi.
South China captain Chan Wai-ho superbly marshalled the defence with the ever-reliable Jack Sealy and dominant Bojan Malisic but they gave away a needless amount of free kicks within scoring distance in the middle of the half.
JDT, though, failed to convert and the closest they came to scoring in the first half was in the 27th minute when they almost pounced on South China goalkeeper Cristian Mora’s fumble.
Just before half-time, a JDT free kick from the left whistled across Mora’s goal.

Johor came out firing in the second half and Luciano finally coming alive, having a shot blocked by the South China defence. Only two minutes into the half, JDT won a penalty after a handball by Moses Mensah.
Luciano sent the crowd into raptures by sending Mora the wrong way. JDT were on the ascendency and it looked to be an uphill task for South China.
However, the Hong Kong team maintained their composure and equalised in the 64th minute. Chan Wai-ho played a cross-field ball to the left to the team’s best attacking player Mahama, who played a neat one-two with Chan Siu-ki before slotting past Tarmizi.
South China almost took the led on 75 minutes but Boima Karpeh, meant to be the team’s goalscorer after Daniel McBreen left, missed from close range.
We were a bit nervous but I think we handled it well. We’ve played in big crowds before and we showed what we can do
Awal Mahama, South China
Two minutes later, Luciano shot straight at Mora after a sweeping JDT move.
JDT threw everything in the last few minutes and some desperate defending from South China allowed the Hong Kong to come away with a deserved draw and confident of closing the tie out in three weeks’ time.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong champions Kitchee will take on Al Kuwait, the three-time winners who beat South China in the 2009 AFC Cup semi-finals, in the quarter-finals of the competition in the Middle East on Wednesday night.


Qatar’s continental defence, Saudis named World Cup hosts in big 2024 for Asian football

AFC Cup: Hong Kong international Wu apologises after blowing chance to send Eastern into inter-zone final

AFC Cup: late Shakhruz Norkhonov header downs Eastern Long Lions, sends PFC Sogdiana into inter-zone final

AFC Cup: call of the East lured defender Kozubaev to Hong Kong club’s cause

AFC Cup

South China battle back to draw 1-1 with Johor Darul Ta’zim in AFC Cup quarter-final, first leg

South China's Awal Mahama in action against Johor Darul Ta'zim. Photo: AFC

South China coach Casemiro Mior and goalscorer Awal Mahama at the post-match press conference. Photo: SCMP Pictures

JDT's Luciano Figuerao (left) and South China's Bojan Malisic battle for the ball in their AFC Cup clash. Photo: AFC

Sport

Hong Kong

Hong Kong side in the driver’s seat with the second leg on September 15


South China took the upper hand in their AFC Cup soccer quarter-final against Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim after earning a 1-1 draw in the first leg on Tuesday night in Johor Bahru.
