It was tense, it was tight and it was tough, but a 0-0 draw in Osaka was enough to ensure Guangzhou Evergrande reached the final of the Asian Champions League for the second time in three seasons. Defeat would have meant the season would have ended in October but now a thrilling month awaits Hengda’s fans.
Last year was arguably the toughest in the long and illustrious career of the club’s Brazilian manager ‘Big Phil’ Scolari. When he finally hangs up his clipboard and walks away from the dugout for the last time, there is no doubt that high on the list of memories will be the 7-1 humiliation at the hands of Germany in his country’s home World Cup.
And while leading Guangzhou Evergrande to success in the ACL will be much nearer the bottom of any reflection on his life as a coach, there is no doubt he has a burning desire to follow fellow World Cup winner Marcello Lippi in seeing the club crowned champions of Asia.
There was a mixture of shock and bemusement when Scolari replaced Fabio Cannavaro mid-season, and success on the continental stage was seen as his minimum target. He is now just 180 minutes away from seeing Evergrande crowned Asian champions for the second time.
Dubai-based Al Ahli await in the final after their dramatic stoppage time defeat of two-time champions Al Hilal in the second leg of their semi-final.
Evergrande will travel to the UAE for the first leg on Saturday, November 7, with the perceived advantage of playing the second leg here in Guangzhou a fortnight later.
In my home country of the UK it is normal for fans of rival teams to support any other country in a big match. Both times Manchester United played Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League final, the ABU (Anyone But United) brigade ensured most of the country was backing the Catalan club.
But here in China, the whole country was behind Evergrande when they triumphed under Lippi in 2013, and Evergrande can expect similar support this time around.
That is because football in China desperately needs a boost after another disappointing World Cup qualifying result last month: a 1-0 defeat in Qatar, controversial hosts of the 2022 tournament. The match left them third in their qualifying group and staring more disappointment in the face.
On November 17, China has a must-win match in Hong Kong, which will be a notable clash – not least because it is the only international match I know of where only one national anthem will be played.
Hong Kong held China to a potentially fatal 0-0 draw earlier in the campaign, and it is imperative that China claims three points to give themselves a chance of getting through to the next qualifying round.
That game follows five days after what should be a regulation victory over Bhutan, whom they thrashed 6-0 earlier in the tournament.
These key matches for China come at a bad time for Scolari, in the days between the two legs of the Champions League final. At least jet lag will not be an issue after playing in Hong Kong, but his concern will be more on getting his key players back safe and sound, rather than seeing China triumph.
On the domestic front, with two games to go it does look as if it will be good news for Guangzhou at both ends of the table. Evergrande’s four-point lead over Shanghai SIPG means only one win from those games would secure a remarkable fifth successive title.
Meanwhile, Dragan Stojkovic seems likely to lead Guangzhou Fuli to survival, albeit by the skin of their teeth. Here’s hoping both sets of fans will have cause to crack open the champagne.
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