A brace from Douglas in the 70th and 83rd minutes changed the complexion of the game.

A second-half double from Douglas saw Sanfrecce Hiroshima come from a goal down to defeat reigning AFC Champions League champions Guangzhou Evergrande 2-1 and finish third at the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup. Paulinho put Guangzhou Evergrande one up with just four minutes at the Yokohama International Stadium played when the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder headed home his second of the tournament following his stoppage-time winner in the continental champions' quarter-final victory over Club America.

Guangzhou goalkeeper Li Shuai twice kept out Hisato Sato headers while defender Mei Feng cleared Takuya Marutani's goal-bound shot off the line as the five-time Chinese champions went into the interval with a narrow advantage.

The ACL champions, who came close to extending their advantage in the first half when Li Xuepeng's shot struck the base of the post, held their lead until the 70th minute when Douglas levelled the match, ghosting in at the far post to head home the equaliser after Hiroki Mizumoto had missed Yusuke Chajima's corner.

And with seven minutes remaining Douglas completed the turnaround when the Brazilian, who plundered 21 goals as Sanfrecce sealed their third J.League title in three years, headed in the rebound from close range after Takuma Asano's initial effort hit the crossbar.

Asano could have added a third on the counterattack as Guangzhou chased the equaliser but the 2015 J.League Rookie of the Year was off target, although the miss proved not to be costly as Sanfrecce became the fifth Asian side to finish third at the FIFA Club World Cup following compatriots Urawa Reds (2007) and Gamba Osaka (2008), Korea Republic's Pohang Steelers (2009) and Qataris Al Sadd (2011).

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)