Club America's Dario Benedetto (left) attempts a tackle during a FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal against Guangzhou Evergrande on December 13, 2015, in Osaka, Japan. (Photo: Mexsport)
OSAKA, Japan – Guangzhou Evergrande scored two late goals to earn a 2-1 win over Club America in the FIFA Club World Cup (FCWC) quarterfinals on Sunday at Osaka Nagai Stadium.
The result sets up a final-four encounter between the Asian champion and 2014/15 UEFA Champions League winner Barcelona on December 17 in Yokohama. Club America will face Africa’s TP Mazembe – a 3-0 loser to Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the other quarterfinal – a day earlier in Osaka.
Paulinho’s header off a corner kick in the third minute of second-half stoppage time was the game-winner.
The Chinese side leveled in the 80th minute, when Zheng Long’s left-footed shot from 17 yards just bounced under the outstretched hand of diving goalkeeper Moises Muñoz.
Club America, in its first FCWC appearance since 2006, had taken a 1-0 lead ten minutes into the second half. After some nifty footwork down the right side, Dario Benedetto – who missed on an open header minutes earlier -- delivered a cross at the end line that Oribe Peralta headed into the back of the net from three-yards out.
The goal added to a magical 2015 for the 31-year-old Mexico international, who has scored in two editions of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the CONCACAF Cup, 2015 Liga MX Clausura and 2015 Liga MX Apertura play, and now the Club World Cup.
