Golden Goal puts China's Dalian into Asian final
Golden Goal puts China's Dalian into Asian final
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters): Chinese champion Dalian Shide
reached the Asian Cup Winners Cup final on Thursday after beating
holder Shimizu S-Pulse of Japan 3-2 with a Golden Goal winner
from international forward Hao Haidong.
China, which was down to 10 men, will now take on Saudi
Arabia's Al Shabab, which also won 3-2 in the other semifinal,
defeating newly-crowned Iranian champion Esteghlal.
Hao returned from injury to score 19 minutes into extra-time
and lead his side to its second continental final in three years,
after losing the 1998 Asian Club Championship on penalties to
Korean side Pohang Steelers.
Shimizu, currently lying second in the J-League, came into the
game as favorite but went a goal behind when Brazilian Orlando
beat Ryuzo Morioka to Adilson's left wing cross.
Shimizu levelled less than a minute later as captain Teruyoshi
Ito struck from the edge of the area after Zhang Enhua failed to
clear an Alex free-kick.
Daisuke Ichikawa then gave Shimizu the lead 11 minutes into
the second half but this time it was Dalian's turn to come back,
Orlando scoring again three minutes later.
Dalian's cause was made even more difficult when Zou Jie was
sent off for a second bookable offense with 12 minutes to go, but
it did not stop Hao from almost killing the game in regulation
time as his shot cannoned off the crossbar.
Shimizu's Takayuki Yokoyama did the same just after the start
of extra-time before Hao put Dalian in the final with a low
effort that beat the keeper at his far post.
In the other match, former Asian Player of the Year Saeed
Owairan gave Al Shabab the lead from the penalty spot after just
15 minutes but Mohamed Navazi equalized, also with a penalty, 13
minutes later.
Abdullah Shehan put Al Shabab back in front when he beat
Esteghlal's flat-footed defense 12 minutes after the restart only
for Ahmad Momenzadeh to level with a spectacular volley from the
edge of the area.
But just as the game was heading towards extra-time, Khalid Al
Dossary delivered the killer blow with three minutes to go.