Football News: Guangzhou Evergrande Ready to Represent China, Asia in FIFA Club World Cup
Cristian Andal | | Dec 10, 2015 12:08 AM EST |
(Photo : Getty Images) Guangzhou Evergrande players line-up before their 2013 FIFA Club World Cup 3rd Place Match against Atletico Mineiro at the Marrakech Stadium. The team is ready to compete in the 2015 edition of the tournament with their opening quarterfinal match against Club América all set on December 13 at the Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan.
Five-time Chinese Super League champions and two-time AFC Champions League winners Guangzhou Evergrande is ready to represent China and Asia in this month's 2015 FIFA Club World Cup tournament hosted by Japan.
The Southern China Tigers, led by Brazilian head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, had won a 3-1 friendly over Guangdong on Tuesday to show fine form before their opening game against Mexico's Club América on December 13 at the Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Xinhuanet reports.
Like Us on Facebook
Attacking midfielder Ricardo Goulart led the Tigers with a goal and an assist, netting one at the 15th-minute mark and assisting another to left winger Zheng Long to increase their lead before the halftime interval.
After winning this year's AFC Champions League tourney last month, Guangzhou automatically earned a quarterfinals berth in the Club World Cup.
If they beat Ignacio Ambríz's América on Sunday, Scolari's boys will face defending La Liga and UEFA Champions League winners FC Barcelona on December 17 in the semifinals, which promises to be an instant blockbuster of a match that the whole world has been anticipating.
Legions of Asian and European fans are eager to see such a matchup and it remains to be seen whether it would push through this time.
Guangzhou is led by team captain and AFC Footballer of the Year candidate Zheng Zhi, who is also the skipper of the Chinese national football team, and five of Scolari's countrymen, Goulart, Robinho, Paulinho, Alan, and Elkeson.
Scolari had just replaced Fabio Cannavaro as Evergrande's chief bench tactician in June of this year and has so far led the squad to titles in both domestic and continental competitions, even transforming the squad into a legitimate world title contender, as per Box Score News.
"After years of an Italian influence, with Marcelo Lippi on the bench - after Cannavaro - and players like Alberto Gilardino and Alessandro Diamanti, Brazil is now the boss in Canton," the report said.
Meanwhile, Four Four Two said that having a genuine World Cup-winning coach sitting on their bench has given Guangzhou players much confidence competing in world football events.
It is said to be a record-breaking win if Scolari could lead Evergrande to the Club World Cup title as he would be the first manager to ever lift both country and club World Cups in history.
TagsChina Football News, China Football News 2015, 2015 FIFA Club World Cup
©2015 Chinatopix All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission
EDITOR'S PICKS
-
Did the Trump administration just announce plans for a trade war with ‘hostile’ China and Russia?
-
US Senate passes Taiwan travel bill slammed by China
-
As Yan Sihong’s family grieves, here are other Chinese students who went missing abroad. Some have never been found
-
Beijing blasts Western critics who ‘smear China’ with the term sharp power
-
China Envoy Seeks to Defuse Tensions With U.S. as a Trade War Brews
-
Singapore's Deputy PM Provides Bitcoin Vote of Confidence Amid China's Blanket Bans
-
China warns investors over risks in overseas virtual currency trading
-
Chinese government most trustworthy: survey
-
Kashima Antlers On Course For Back-To-Back Titles
MOST POPULAR
LATEST NEWS
Zhou Yongkang: China's Former Security Chief Sentenced to Life in Prison
China's former Chief of the Ministry of Public Security, Zhou Yongkang, has been given a life sentence after he was found guilty of abusing his office, bribery and deliberately ... Full Article
TRENDING STORY
-
China Pork Prices Expected to Stabilize As The Supplies Recover
-
Elephone P9000 Smartphone is now on Sale on Amazon India
-
There's a Big Chance Cliffhangers Won't Still Be Resolved When Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Returns
-
Supreme Court Ruled on Samsung vs Apple Dispute for Patent Infringement
-
Microsoft Surface Pro 5 Rumors and Release Date: What is the Latest?