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Shenzhen pip Suwon to winner's post
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-26 09:48

Defender Xin Feng fired home the only goal as China Super League champions Shenzhen Jianlibao stunned highly-fancied Suwon Bluewings of Korea 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League.


Xin Feng celebrates the goal which takes Shenzhen into the last eight of the AFC Champions League [WSG]

Xin, who turns 27 on Friday, celebrated his birthday early by volleying home on 29 minutes to send Shenzhen through to the last eight as Group E winners.

Two-time Asian Club Championship winners Suwon had only needed a draw to finish on top of the group but the defeat meant that the Chinese side drew level with them on 13 points and went through by virtue of their better results in the head-to-head meetings between the two sides following their goalless draw in Korea in March.

With a ticket to the quarter-finals at stake, the opening minutes of the game proved decidedly cagey as both sides probed without creating any clear-cut chances.

It took 20 minutes before Suwon fired the first real shot in anger, Sandro sending a low free-kick from 30 metres straight at Shenzhen goalkeeper Li Lei Lei.

The home side took control thereafter with skipper Li Yi missing a glorious opportunity in the 24th minute, as he received the ball from Yang Chen on the edge of the six-yard box in front of goal but inexplicably poked his shot wide of the left upright.

Suwon failed to heed the warning though and fell behind just before the half-hour mark when an overlapping Li Weifeng cut the ball back from the right byline, just out of the reach of Suwon goalie Lee Woon-jae. The onrushing Xin met the ball with his right instep on the volley to put Shenzhen ahead.

Li Yi should have extended the home side’s advantage three minutes before half-time as Wang Xin Xin’s low cross from the left found him unmarked in the penalty box. The Shenzen striker failed to take advantage once again though, scooping the ball over from 12 metres out.

Suwon picked up their game after the break as they went in search of the all-important equalizer. A cheeky back-heel by An Hyo-yeon created an opening for Kim Do-heon but the Korea Republic international midfielder fired a snap-shot wide of the right post.

On 57 minutes, the ball was slipped through the Shenzhen backline to a lurking Sandro but the Brazilian striker sent his shot well over the crossbar.

Veteran forward Kim Dae-eui replaced An in the 62nd minute but although Suwon dominated play in the final half-hour, their increasingly desperate attack were unable to breach the well-marshalled Shenzhen defence.

Shorn of attacking ideas, the Koreans resorted to pumping high balls into the Shenzhen area but they proved easy pickings for Li Lei Lei.

With time running out, Suwon substitute Yoon Hwa-pyung had one final opportunity to save Cha Bum-keun’s side but skied his shot high and wide.

The win caps a remarkable turnaround of fortunes for Shenzhen, who have struggled in the China Super League this season and sacked coach Chi Shangbin just a week ago following a drawn-out dispute between himself and leading players in the Shenzhen side.

Guo Ruilong, who replaced Chi as caretaker coach, guided Shenzhen to their first league victory last weekend and was joyfully tossed into the air by his players after engineering the win against Suwon.

Shenzhen will now go into the draw for the AFC Champions League quarter-finals, which takes place on June 15 at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur.

The first leg matches of the quarter-finals take place on September 14, with the return games on September 21.



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