Guangzhou: Not for the first time since winning their second AFC Champions League crown in 2015, Guangzhou Evergrande dominated an opponent but failed to clock up the comprehensive win their position of superiority deserved.
Kashima Antlers will go into the second leg of their Round of 16 meeting with Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Chinese Super League champions knowing they still have the chance to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time since 2008.
Paulinho’s goal 15 minutes from time was scant reward for a Guangzhou team that dominated territorially, and it wasn’t the first time this season the Brazil international has been the difference for his team.
Scolari set his team up to take advantage of Kashima’s deficiencies but the World Cup-winning coach was let down by his players’ inability to convert chances into goals to leave the question: will Guangzhou live to regret not punishing Kashima with a more comprehensive defeat?
Scolari's gameplan: Target the full back
It became apparent early in the game that Scolari had singled out the right back position – occupied by Yukitoshi Ito – as the weak link in Kashima’s back line and had instructed left back Li Xuepeng to push forward to exploit the full back’s defensive deficiencies.
While Guangzhou’s attacking thrust normally comes from right back Zhang Linpeng, this time it was Li who was charged with doing the damage.
Time and again the Guangzhou left back – called up for this game ahead of Zou Zheng – was appearing in the final third of the field, usually at the expense of Ito.
Li created three chances for Guangzhou, including the corner in the 31st minute that Ricardo Goulart headed over the bar, and, as can be seen in the graphic below, the home side channeled most of their attacking effort down the left side.
Of Guangzhou’s forays into the Kashima final third, more than 46 percent focused on the position Ito occupied, while Brazilian midfielder Leandro was also relatively ineffective in his attempts to provide protection against Li and Alan.
Goulart the culprit for wasteful Evergrande
Ricardo Goulart has so often been the player to make the difference for Guangzhou, but on Tuesday evening the Brazilian was the man most likely to miss for the home team as Evergrande struggled in front of goal.
With a total of seven shots and only two on target, the 25-year-old squandered the openings carved out by his team mates in a performance Guangzhou may well come to regret.
Alan, too, was wasteful when he found himself in a position to score – which came less often on this occasion than it did for Goulart – failing to score from three attempts and only hitting the target once.
While Paulinho saved his side’s blushes with his close range winner, will that solitary goal be enough against a Kashima side sure to be more adventurous in the second-leg in front of their own fans?
Photo: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com