Champs Evergrande keep AFC Champions League title defence alive

Guangzhou Evergrande kept their stumbling AFC Champions League title defence alive with a deserved 2-0 win over Pohang Steelers on Tuesday -- their first victory of the competition.

Chinese international striker Gao Lin set up the first goal and scored the second as Luiz Felipe Scolari's side finally got a win at the fifth attempt in Group H.

But the well-heeled Chinese domestic champions are still relying on Sydney FC beating Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds on Wednesday if they are to avoid exiting at the group stage.
The win for Evergrande, the leading lights of cashed-up China's football revolution, was their first in the Asian tournament since they won their second title in three years last November.

Evergrande were on top but wasteful in the early exchanges as ex-Spurs midfielder Paulinho passed up a string of chances, including a scuffed shot from just outside the six-yard box.

The champions' opener came in the 33rd minute, when Gao fired a raking ball to Ricardo Goulart and the Brazilian snapped up the chance from a tight angle at the back post.

Lacklustre Pohang managed little in reply and Gao doubled Evergrande's advantage two minutes after half-time when he arrowed a diagonal shot past home goalkeeper Kim Jin-Young.

Evergrande should have had a third nine minutes later when substitute Li Yuanyi met a cross sweetly on the half-volley, but saw his shot creep just wide.

Elsewhere, a double from Brazilian striker Santos kept Suwon Samsung Bluewings' last-16 hopes alive as they beat Gamba Osaka 2-1 away in Group G.

Santos scored twice in eight minutes shortly after half-time before a consolation strike from Yasuyuki Konno in the 89th minute.

With the win, Suwon drew level on points with Melbourne Victory after their 3-1 loss to Sven-Goran Eriksson's Shanghai SIPG, who rubber-stamped their progression as Group G winners.

Goals from Yu Hai and former Guangzhou Evergrande players Elkeson and Dario Conca made it a straightforward night for SIPG, who have enjoyed four wins in five games.

It set up a nail-biting final round of matches as Suwon and Melbourne compete for the second spot in the group and a place in the knock-out stages.

Meanwhile, in West Asia, Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli bounced back into contention with a 4-1 thrashing of Qatar's El Jaish in Doha.

A brace from Hassan Seraj was the highlight of the match as Al Ahli leapt off the bottom to stay in the hunt for the second spot in Group D.

Seraj struck in the 22nd minute to put Al Ahli ahead and added a second in the 57th as hitherto unbeaten El Jaish failed to impress in front of their home fans.

Mohanad Aseri and Motaz Hawsawi also registered on the scoresheet for Al Ahli, while Abderrazaq Hamdallah scored the lone goal for El Jaish, who have already qualified and still sit pretty at the top with 10 points from five matches.

Earlier, Uzbekistan's Nasaf and the UAE's Al Ain played out a 1-1 draw in Karshi, paving the way for a thrilling final round next month.

In Group C, Iran's Tractorsazi beat Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal 2-0 to make the knockouts with four wins from five matches.

Cameroonian Aloys Nong put Tractorsazi ahead in the 66th minute and provided the assist for Farzad Hatami to seal the victory with an 81st minute strike.

Al Hilal, who have eight points, now have a battle on their hands to finish second as Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor prevailed 3-1 over the UAE's Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi to take their tally to seven.
Source :AFP