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Melbourne Victory vs Guangzhou Evergrande |
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|---|---|---|
2019 Asian Champions League, Group stage, Matchday 4 |
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| Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne | ||
| Match time: Fulltime | ||
| Melbourne Victory | Guangzhou Evergrande | |
| 1 | SCORE | 1 |
| Melbourne | Time | Guangzhou |
|---|---|---|
| 24' | H.Bowen | |
| J.Ingham | 26' | |
The Melbourne Victory will look to keep their mathematical chance of advancing to the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League alive when they clash with Guangzhou Evergrande on Matchday 4. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:30pm (AEDT).
Melbourne come into this game with zero points from their first three games, and to qualify from here, will need something of a miracle.
The biggest problem for the Victory is that all three teams above them have shared points, meaning it’s a six-point gap between the three and the Victory, who can end up on no more than nine points with three back-to-back wins.
Of course, that’ll be easier said than done for the club, who are battling to be competitive on the Asian scene.
They will bring no confidence into this match either, having lost 4-0 to Guangzhou away from home in their last match, and while they are at home this time, it may not help up against the deadly attack of players like Anderson Talisca and former Brazilian international Paulinho, who were deadly in their combination last time against the Victory.
What Melbourne must do though is build confidence ahead of the A-League finals, which is the part of their season yet to disappear up the river.
Guangzhou, on the other hand, have been far from poor recently, but not at their best. They have split the two matches since their clash with the Victory, losing to Beijing, but then beating Shandong Luneng. All in all, they have won four of their last five clashes as a club across all competitions, and it’s hard to fault where they are at on both ends of the park.
In saying all of that, their away record hasn’t been all that impressive, winning just one of their last five as a club on the road, so the Victory will look to start strongly and make the most of whatever opportunities they can create through Keisuke Honda and Ola Toivonen, among others.
Prediction
The Victory simply must win, and while they have just been awful in the Asian Champions League, a turnaround – a fast-paced, high-scoring turnaround – has to come at some point.
Melbourne 3 – Guangzhou 2
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this Asian Champions League fixture from 7:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Kick-off: 7:30pm (AEDT)
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
TV: Live, Fox Sports
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2019 Asian Champions League. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. Right now, it's time to switch over for Shanghai SIPG and Sydney FC, who also put their ACL hopes on the line. Stuart Thomas has the call of that one. Bye for now, and enjoy the rest of your evening.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the match Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME The Melbourne Victory have gained their first point of the Asian Champions League with a youthful and inexperienced line up managing to hold on for a one-all draw against Chinese powerhouse Guangzhou Evergrande. The squad selected by the Victory was all but an omission of defeat, and their campaign being all but over before the match got underway, however the depth in their squad clearly saw the opportunity in the match, and were excellent in defence for the most part. They stopped set piece after set piece and attacking raid after attacking raid with strong positioning and organisation throughout the course of the contest, while also looking dangerous on attack from time to time. It was clear the visitors had more in the way of raw talent, but they struggled to put that to good use, with Brazilian duo Anderson Talisca and Paulinho clearly having an off night as they struggled to reproduce the form which had kicked Guangzhou to a 4-0 victory over Melbourne a fortnight ago back at home. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME This will be the final play of the game. The free kick is flicked on by Park Ji-Soo this time, but Thomas takes it on the bounce, and that's the end of that. The Victory have their first point in Group F against Guangzhou Evergrande, but that will be the end of the Australian team's chances at qualifying, who needed all three points this evening. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 3' - One last chance on the free kick for the visitors. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 3' - It's been a rough night for Talisca. Into the final minute here, and we are heading for a draw here. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 2' - Talisca from a similar range as his shot in the first half which sailed over the top. He lines up the free kick and this might be the final chance of the game. Talisca takes it on again and goes for the bottom right corner, but it's gone off the side net, just past the gloves of Thomas, who I doubt was there if it was in. That was an excellent bit of work from Talisca, but just spun a little bit too far to challenge the goal in the end. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 1' - Antonis back to his feet. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 1' - Ball in to Talisca this time. He looks to clear, and Antonis is pinged for a high boot, but has also come off second best after the tumble to ground. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 1' - Three minutes of stoppage time Donachie has been fabulous tonight. Another stop on the cross bound for Talisca right there. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90' - Lovely work from Antonis this time, but it's the defence of Browning this time, fighting Athiu away from the ball and clearing for the visitors, saving the day there. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
89' - The penalty wasn't given, and maybe the referee was right. Hard to say on those angles, but the visitors escape there with just a minute to go. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
88' - Oh! That had to be a penalty? Surely? The Victory with a through ball to Athiu who had the goal keeper one on one. He couldn't get a shot away, but he was upended in the box by the defenders. Or at least, that's the way it loked. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
87' - Thomas was way out of position there, but the free kick found the head of Paulinho, and he managed to miss. Beautiful free kick from Bowen, but time is running out now for both teams, and that's a big opportunity to miss at this point from the Brazilian. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
86' - Free kick for Guangzhou in a dangerous spot here. Brown the offender this time. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
86' - Looks like Palazzolo slots in on the right here. He has a tough to Antonis, who then looks to hit an aerial ball into the penalty area, but that was too far out in front of the chasers, and is easily taken there by Dianzuo. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
85' - SUB: Victory - Jack Palazzolo (on), Jai Ingham (off) The exciting young striker gets a run off the bench, with Ingham heading off after putting in a really strong shift. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
84' - Xuepeng full of running down the left-hand side here. The ball is cleared, but it'll be a throw in a dangerous spot. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
83' - Not a bad free kick into the middle. Thomas punches it clear, but it was all mattering little anyway, with Paulinho pinged for being offside. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
82' - Free kick for Guangzhou here. Melbourne 1 Guangzhou 1