Another ACL draw as Shenhua held at home
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E-mail China.org.cn, February 22, 2018
A thrilling AFC Champions League Group H encounter between Shanghai Shenhua and Sydney FC ended in a 2-2 draw on Wednesday.
The visitors, who impressed throughout, almost went ahead in the 23rd minute when Alex Brosque hit the bar with a glancing shot from Aaron Calver's low cross.
But three minutes later, Shenhua took the lead when Obafemi Martins bundled home from Li Yunqiu's cut-back.
It took just two minutes for Sydney to equalise as Li Shuhai saved Bobo's header from Luke Wilshire's cross but Wilshire was on hand to net the rebound from a tight angle.
And Sydney silenced the home fans when they went 2-1 up in the 34th minute. Milos Ninkovic created the chance with a neat through pass and Brosque took a couple of touches before crashing home an unstoppable effort from 12 yards out.
But Shanghai's response was quick and Fredy Guarin tied the score at 2-2 five minutes later. Andrew Redmayne fell to the floor after punching clear Bai Jiajun's cross and Guarin was perfectly positioned on the edge of the box to volley into the net.
Sydney looked set to regain the lead in the 59th minute when a defence-splitting pass from Adrian Mierzejewski put Brosque through on goal. The striker rounded Li Shuai but could not find the right angle for his shot and fired into the side netting.
Guarin then almost scored his second of the match as Redmayne beat out his powerful drive, before Martins and Ninkovic both came close to snatching a winner in the closing stages of an action-packed game.
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