Covid-19 lockdowns force Shanghai Port out of Asian Champions League
- AFC Champions League said all matches involving Shanghai Port will be cancelled with no replacement for the club in Group J
- With Shanghai Port out, Guangzhou FC and Shandong Taishan are China’s last remaining representatives
Shanghai Port will miss this year’s Asian Champions League, with Covid-19 lockdowns in the city leaving the team unable to travel.
The Asian Football Confederation confirmed the withdrawal of Shanghai Port FC, adding that all matches involving the club will be cancelled.
Shanghai Port will not be replaced in the competition and just three teams will remain in Group J, including Hong Kong’s Kitchee SC, Vissel Kobe from Japan and Chiangrai United from Thailand.
Shanghai, who reached the semi-finals of the AFC Cup in 2017, was due to kick-start their campaign on Saturday against Vissel Kobe in the northern Thai city of Buriram.
The remaining matches in Group J schedule will continue as planned, with Kitchee SC set to face Chiangrai United on April 16 while Vissel Kobe will open their campaign against Kitchee SC on April 19 at the Buriram Stadium.
The three teams will battle it out for the one automatic ticket to the next round, while the second-placed side will also have a chance to advance as one of the three best-placed runners-up.
Both Kitchee and Chiangrai United performed well in 2021 as the pair went close to qualifying for the Round of 16, and they will be keen to take the next step in this year’s competition.
Shanghai are the second Chinese club to pull out of the 2022 AFC Champions League after Changchun Yatai withdrew last month. Shandong Taishan and Guangzhou FC are the country’s last two representatives.
Shanghai rewrote the daily Covid-19 infections record for the 10th straight day with 26,087 new cases on Monday, as six rounds of mass testing uncovered more carriers of the coronavirus in China’s financial hub.
Lockdowns have also seen Shanghai Shenhua FC withdraw from the opening round of the 2022 China Women’s One League, due to kick-off on April 11 in Haigeng, Kunming.
Start of the 2022 Chinese Super League season could also be postponed due to the tightening of restrictions and increased lockdowns.
