China's Guangzhou Evergrande roars back to Asian top podium

After making history in 2013 to become the first Chinese team to win the AFC Champions League, five-time Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Guangzhou Evergrande stormed back to the Asian top podium here on Saturday. Drawing Al Ahli from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 0-0 in Dubai on Nov. 7 and winning 1-0 at home tonight, Evergrande presented a brilliant gift to the Chinese fans who were upset by their national team's poor performance in the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign. The triumph is also a boost to Chinese football. In Tianhe Stadium tonight, Brazilian striker Elkson became the hero as his goal in the second half helped his team achieve the glory in front of more than 42,000 fans. Stunned by Western Sydney Wanderers from Australia in the AFC Champions League quarterfinals last year, Guangzhou Evergrande vowed to regain the title from the beginning of this season. Under the guidance of Luiz Felipe Scolari, who replaced Fabio Cannavaro as the head coach in June, Evergrande had kept a 22-match unbeaten run before tonight's final duel. The AFC Champions League title is also the first continental trophy for Scolari since he steered the Selecao to the Confederation Cup in 2013 on home soil. The 67-year-old Brazilian became another coach who possesses World Cup and AFC Champions League trophy after Italian Marcello Lippi, the former coach of Evergrande. Comparing with the first leg in Dubai, Scolari made two changes in tonight's starting lineup as Li Xuepeng and Mei Fang were substituted by Zou Zheng and Kim Young Gwon. The team's top striker Ricardo Goulart from Brazil also appeared in the starting 11 in spite of his injury suffered in the first leg. Evergrande almost took the lead just seven minutes into the game when Elkson beat the defenders on the left side in the box before passing the ball to Goulart whose close-range shot narrowly missed the target. Al Ahli hit back in the 27th minute as playmaker Ribeiro's powerful shot was denied by Evergrande's goalie Zeng Cheng. The home team were dealt a heavy blow as Zeng Cheng limped off in the 39th minute with injury and substitue goalie Li Shuai came in. Evergrande dominated the game after the interval and broke the deadlock in the 54th minute. Elkson picked up Zheng Long's penetrating pass, turned around to dance past a central defender and sent the ball into the far corner. It was also Elkson who opened the scoring in the second leg of the tournament's final two years ago. Things were getting worse for Al Ahli as their central defender Salmin Khamis Salmin was sent off due to an awful tackle against Zheng Long on 66 minutes. Al Ahli missed the golden opportunity to score when Lima's single pole ball was blocked by Kim Young Gwon. Elkson almost scored again in the stoppage time but had to see his attempt inside the box above the crossbar. Goulart secured the Golden Boot with eight goals in the AFC Champions League, two more than his closest rivals Ahmed Khalil from Al Ahli and Yang Xu from Shandong Luneng. It was the first time for Al Ahli, the six-time UAE League champions, to enter the AFC Champions League final which last time witnessed a UAE team in 2005.