Guangzhou Evergrande midfielder Ricardo Goulart (#11) in action against the Pohang Steelers. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese Super League giants Shanghai SIPG and Guangzhou Evergrande have both won their respective matches in the fifth matchday of the group stage competitions in the 2016 AFC Champions League tournament.
Shanghai SIPG blasted A-League team Melbourne Victory, 3-1, at the Shanghai Stadium on Tuesday to gain the top spot in the Group G standings and officially advance in the knockout stage of the said Asian club continental tourney, as per Xinhuanet.
Chinese striker Yu Hai netted the opening goal of the match at the 38th minute before Brazilian sensation Elkeson doubled the lead just two minutes later.
Argentina midfielder Dario Conca then scored at the 65th minute to complete the three-goal haul of head coach Sven-Göran Eriksson's side. Australian midfielder Jesse Makarounas had a consolation goal nine minutes before full time, which made Victory avoid a shutout loss.
The win was the Red Eagles' fourth in their five ACL games this year as they raced away from the Group G pack with 12 points. Melbourne and South Korea's Suwon Samsung Bluewings are tied with 6 points each at the second and third spots.
Meanwhile, defending AFC Champions League winners Guangzhou Evergrande blanked the Pohang Steelers, 2-0, on the road at the Pohang Steel Yard in South Korea also on Tuesday, as reported by Fox Sports Asia.
Brazilian midfielder Ricardo Goulart opened the scoring at the 33rd minute of the contest for Guangzhou off a brilliant assist by vice-captain Gao Lin. Lin then netted the team's second goal two minutes into the second half, this time from a cross by local midfielder Xu Xin.
It was the first win of the Southern China Tigers in the said competition as they managed to stay alive in their quest for a second consecutive Asian title.
It was a rough start for World Cup-winning head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari in the tournament, as they stumbled in the first four matchdays of the group stage.
They are now at the third spot of the Group H standings, three points behind second-running Urawa Red Diamonds and five points below group leaders Sydney FC.
Guangzhou has one more game left, a fixture with Sydney on May 3rd at the Tianhe Stadium, to try and qualify for the next round of competitions.
