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PKG
INTRO
Guangzhou Evergrande, the triple Chinese Super League champions under the rein of world famous coach Marcello Lippi of Italy, made history of winning the AFC Champions League title for China on Saturday.
The triumph was China's first Asian title in 23 years.
PKG
Having been pegged back to tie 2-2 by a late equalizer in Seoul two weeks ago, the Chinese Super League champions managed a 1-1 draw with FC Seoul at the second leg of the AFC Champions League final, to be crowned on away goals after aggregating 3-3.
The triumph was China's first Asian title in 23 years.
Brazilian striker Elkeson put the Evergrande ahead in the 58th minute after a solo run into the box linking up to a nice play by the hosts' attacking trio.
However, Dejan Damjanovic equalized for Seoul just four minutes later, getting a lucky touch of the ball on the box line to beat Guangzhou goalie Zeng Cheng, who had been barely threatened before the break.
The last 10 minutes were so breath-taking as both sides fought like fighters. In front of 42,000 home fans in Tianhe Stadium, Lippi's second-half substitute Gao Lin still made scoring attempts with less than one minute to go.
The spectators lost patient in the end as one of the Seoul club's assistant coach was red-carded during the stoppage time.
It's another title-winning game for the Evergrande's coach Lippi without a straight vicotry in 90 minutes. The 65-year-old Italian coached Italy to the 2006 FIFA World Cup title and Italian club Juventus to the 1996 UEFA Champions League crown, both through penalty kickout.
With the Asian crown, Lippi became the first coach to win both the European and the Asian club championships.
To be continued...
