Gao Lin warns FC Seoul that Guangzhou will raise their game at home

Striker Gao Lin insists Guangzhou Evergrande will take their game to a new level in the second leg of the AFC Champions League final against Korean counterparts FC Seoul next week as the China Super League champions seek to hand China its first continental title in 23 years.

Brazilian striker Elkeson and Gao scored for Marcello Lippi’s Guangzhou in last Saturday’s first leg at Seoul World Cup Stadium with only an 83rd minute strike from FC Seoul’s Montenegrin frontman Dejan Damjanovic rescuing the hosts a 2-2 draw.

And with the decisive second leg taking place at Tianhe Stadium on November 9, Guangzhou are within touching distance of emulating Liaoning’s 1990 Asian Club Championship success.

“We will prepare normally for the second game,” said Gao. “If we can score two goals in the away game, we will do better in our home match.”

Gao’s 59th minute close range finish from Sun Xiang’s drilled cross handed the China international his third goal of the campaign after Brazilian Elkeson had equalised for Guangzhou in the first half with his fifth goal in as many AFC Champions League games.

“I was happy with the goal. There were so many Guangzhou fans in the stadium and I wanted to share my feeling with them as I was excited,” added Gao, who joined Guangzhou in 2010 from Shanghai Shenhua.