Match Report
10 points for Guangzhou Evergrande (2nd), 16 for Al Ittihad (1st): a 6-point gap. Guangzhou Evergrande ranked just 17th in the league on five-round form despite their 2nd table position. Scoring rates set the scale: Guangzhou Evergrande 2 scored and 1.33 conceded per game, Al Ittihad 2.17 and 0.67, with the league averaging 1.41.
Guangzhou Evergrande entered with three wins in a row, having scored in 15 consecutive games. Al Ittihad had won four straight.
The venue was Tianhe Stadium in Canton, with room for 60,151 spectators. Half-time and full-time told different stories: Guangzhou Evergrande led 2-0 at the break, before 1 more goal closed it at 2-1.