Urawa eliminate Shanghai SIPG to make ACL semis

Urawa Red Diamonds advanced to the semifinals on away goals after holding Shanghai SIPG 1-1 in the second leg and aggregating on 3-3 in the 2019 AFC Champions League (ACL) on Tuesday.

The Chinese Super League holders SIPG, who only once made the last four in 2017 when they were eliminated by Urawa, clearly wanted to have their revenge especially when Brazilian captain Hulk was suspended and Odil Ahmedov absent due to injury.

Shanghai SIPG players react after the AFC Champions League quarter-final second leg game against the Urawa Red Diamonds in Tokyo, Japan on Sep 17, 2019. [Photo: IC]

Urawa, however, seemed stern-minded to vow for a thrid time triumph after having lifted the AFC Champions League title in 2007 and 2017.

The hosts managed to repeat the opening 45 minutes like they did in the first leg and an own goal by Shanghai goalkeeper Yan Junling gave them the 1-0 lead after a header from Urawa hit the crossbar and the back of Yan's hand in the 39th minute.

Shanghai equalized in the 60th minute when Wang Shenchao scored from the center of the box directing the ball right to the goal.