Wu Lei’s double puts Shanghai SIPG on verge of AFC Champions League semi-finals after Guangzhou Evergrande rout
Hulk and Wang Shenchao also on target as Andre Villas-Boas’ side record 4-0 quarter-final first leg win
Wu Lei scored twice as Shanghai SIPG comfortably defeated two-time AFC Champions League winners Guangzhou Evergrande 4-0 on Tuesday in the first leg of their all-Chinese Super League quarter-final.
Playing for the first time in the AFC Champions League since the departure of Brazilian midfielder Paulinho to Barcelona last week, Evergrande were torn apart by Andre Villas-Boas’ side, who are now one game away from their first appearance in the semi-finals of the competition.
“SIPG deserved the win,” said Evergrande coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, whose team lead SIPG by eight points in the domestic standings.
“We paid the price for the tight and intensive match schedule. We also paid the price for the absence of Paulinho, Huang Bowen and Mei Fang and we were playing against such a strong opponent.”
SIPG controlled the opening half hour, but were only able to find a breakthrough in the 38th minute when Hulk scored from the penalty spot after Zhang Linpeng had bundled Wu over in the area.
Watch: Shanghai SIPG 4-0 Guangzhou Evergrande highlights