Three months ago, South China were on top of the world. They had beaten Euro 2000-bound Yugoslavia 4-2 and an aura of invincibility hung around them - knowing a team would have to be a bit special if they were to beaten at the Hong Kong Stadium.
Yesterday, South China were beaten by something a bit special as they clung on to their Asian Club Championship hopes by their fingernails after losing 3-1 to J-League champions Jubilo Iwata in their second round, first leg encounter.
The visitors had come to the SAR hoping to turn their recent poor domestic form around. They had lost their previous two games to lowly opposition and had sacked their Macedonian coach, Djoko Hadzeuski.
But Jubilo put their recent troubles behind them to record a fine win and leave South China coach Casemiro Mior's men a mountain to climb in the second leg in Iwata on Saturday.
'It will be difficult for us. It will always be a bit difficult for us, but it's not impossible,' said Mior. 'I believe we still have a chance. If we play as well as we did in the second half for the whole game in Japan next week, then we have a chance.
'Their coach was clever. He used only one striker and six in midfield. The match was won in midfield,' he said.
South China never really got firing in the first half. Midway through the second period, Au Wai-lun reduced the deficit in the 68th minute from the penalty spot after teammate Zeljko Gavrilovic was brought down in the box, but it was a case of too little, too late.
