AFC Champions League Review: Oscar double rescues Shanghai SIPG

Shanghai SIPG remain top of their AFC Champions League group after Oscar dragged his side to a draw at home to UIsan.

Published : Mar 07, 2018 20:03 IST

A pair of spectacular Oscar strikes earned Group F leaders Shanghai SIPG a 2-2 draw against Ulsan in the AFC Champions League.

The Brazil international's double kept the Chinese Super League side two points clear of their opponents on a day of action that produced three draws, with Kashima Antlers the only winners.

SIPG, semi-finalists last year, fell behind to Richard Windbichler's towering header, but Oscar quickly drilled the hosts level, having earlier rattled the crossbar.

Although Ulsan restored their lead through Kim In-sung, again Oscar offered a swift response and curled a fine 20-yard effort beyond Oh Seong-Hoon, with neither side then able to find a winner.

Before the top two in the group faced off, Leroy George's 93rd-minute penalty kept Melbourne Victory's hopes of qualification alive as they claimed their own dramatic 2-2 draw at Kawasaki Frontale.

Besart Berisha equalised after Elsinho broke the deadlock for the hosts, but it looked as though Frontale would take all three points thanks to Kyohei Noborizato's strike until George's last-gasp intervention.

It was another miserable day for fellow A-League side Sydney FC, though, as they were beaten by Kashima Antlers at Allianz Stadium and still wait for their first win of the group stage.

Goals late in either half from Shoma Doi - netting a cute flick - and Naomichi Ueda secured a 2-0 away win and took the J-League outfit to the top of Group H.

Suwon Bluewings are second behind Kashima, a point ahead of Shanghai Shenhua, after they played out a 1-1 draw at home to Wu Jingui's men.

Giovanni Moreno, a half-time substitute for Shenhua, scored from the penalty spot with just under 20 minutes remaining to cancel out Lee Ki-Je's thunderous long-range opener.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment