AFC Champions League: Guangzhou Evergrande FC, Suwon Samsung Bluewings Draw 1/1

Doha, December 01 (QNA) - The identity of the second team to reach the 2020 AFC Champions League Round of 16 from Group G will have to wait until the final matchday after contenders Guangzhou Evergrande and Suwon Samsung played out an exciting 1-1 draw at Khalifa International Stadium on Tuesday. Both sides went into the game knowing defeat would put an end to their hopes of progressing to the knock-out stages, making for a cagey start to the proceedings at Khalifa International Stadium. It took 28 minutes for the first real chance of the match to arrive and it came Suwon Samsung Bluewings' way as Ko Seung-beom unleashed a free-kick from 30 yards that grazed the top of the Gunagzhou Evergrande net. Fabio Cannavaro's men responded two minutes later through Anderson Talisca who exchanged passes with Wei Shihao inside the opposition box and tested goalkeeper Yang Hyung-Mo from distance, but the Korean was up to the task and made the save. Suwon Samsung Bluewings grew into the game, spending more and more time in and around the Guangzhou Evergrande box, but with little in the way of clear-cut chances as the Chinese side maintained a low block. Park Sang-heyok's last minute effort just over the crossbar was the closest they came to threatening before the break. They might have had to wait until after the break, but Suwon Samsung Bluewings got their goal in the 52nd minute. Goalkeeper Liu Dianzuo did well to parry Lee Ki-je's curled effort from the free-kick, but there was little he could do as Lim Sang-hyeob pounced on the rebound to slot home the opener. Now faced with the real possibility of elimination, Guangzhou Evergrande stepped up their rhythm and after several near misses, they were able to restore parity in the 72nd minute. Ai Kesen fed a through ball to Wei who advanced into the box and applied a dinked finish past the Korean goalkeeper to revive his side's hopes. The celebrations did not last long for the two-time AFC Champions League winners as they were dealt a blow just two minutes after equalising, with midfielder Zhong Yihao receiving his marching order after collecting a second yellow card following a strong tackle on Kim Tae-hwan. With the numerical advantage on their side, it was Suwon Samsung Bluewings who dominated for the remainder of the game, coming close on several occasions, but a combination of their own profligacy and their opponents resilient defending ensured the score remained 1-1 at the final whistle. The result means Guangzhou Evergrande end the group with five points to their name, while Suwon Samsung Bluewings add a second point to their tally and have a chance to overtake the Chinese side into second place should they defeat Vissel Kobe by a two-goal margin on Friday. (QNA)