Urawa and Al Sadd enter Asian Champions League semi-finals
- 17 Sep 2019
Urawa Red Diamonds kept their quest for a record third AFC Champions League (ACL) title alive on Tuesday as Tsuyoshi Otsuki’s side progressed to the semi-finals of this year’s competition after a 1-1 draw with Shanghai SIPG secured the club’s progress to the next round on the away goals rule.
The result meant the quarter-final tie ended in a 3-3 aggregate draw and, with Urawa scoring twice in Shanghai in the first leg last month, the 2007 and 2017 champions advanced to the next round. Shinzo Koroki’s header took a deflection off Yan Junling six minutes before halftime to give Urawa the lead and, although Wang Shenchao levelled for Shanghai on the hour mark, it was not enough to take Vitor Pereira’s side into the last four.
With Hulk suspended and Odil Ahmedov missing due to injury, SIPG lacked their usual fluency and, with Urawa only needing to protect the two goals they scored in the first leg, the Japanese team controlled much of the first half.
Fabricio’s early header was narrowly wide of the Shanghai goal in a rare foray into the penalty area for either team in the first 15 minutes and the game only came to life in the final 10 minutes of the first half.
Yan made a spectacular save to deny Kazuki Nagasawa, reacting sharply to push his volley over the bar after a fine cross from Daiki Hashioka found his teammate unmarked in the penalty area. From the resulting corner, Ewerton’s shot was deflected wide while Hashioka’s attempt from distance soon after was just off target.
Head coach Xavi Hernandez hailed what he described was one of Al Sadd’s best matches of the year after the Qatar champions advanced to the Champions League semi-finals on Monday.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Riyadh last month, Xavi said Al Sadd produced the great performance required as the Doha-based club defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr 3-1 at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium to advance to their second successive AFC Champions League semi-finals.
“We are happy with the victory and the performance as it was an unbelievable match,” said Xavi. “We didn’t have a good performance in the first leg but today we achieved our goal.
