PSM Makassar 1 vs 3 Shandong Luneng

Former Chinese champions Shandong Luneng defeated hosts PSM Makassar to keep the early pressure on Jubilo Iwata in the eastern quarter-finals of the Asian Club Championship with a comfortable 3-1 win over the Indonesians.

Three goals from set-pieces gave the 1999 Chinese League and FA Cup winners the points in their first-ever appearance in the competition’s quarter-finals. But a goal deep in injury time for Makassar’s Suwandi Hadi Siswoyo saw Shandong slip behind Jubilo on goal-difference.

Boris Ignatiev’s side went ahead when midfielder Serguei Nagorniak scored from the penalty spot after just 15 minutes, the tall Ukrainian converting after Rony Ririn was adjudged to have brought down Li Xiaopeng as he tried to shield the ball.

The goal, though, only served to drive hosts PSM forward. After a nervous start, the Indonesian champions took control of the game, aided by Shandong’s apparent complacency.

International striker Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto was the man who gave Shandong the most problems, the former FC Lucerne forward heading just wide after a low, driven corner by Bima Sakti after 32 minutes.

One minute later, Kurniawan was just off target again, this time slicing his shot slightly wide after holding off the challenges of three Shandong defenders.

He then completed his hat-trick of near-misses with six minutes left in the half when, after a great through-ball over the defence by Yusrifar Dafar, Kurniawan’s instinctive lob was palmed over the bar by the advancing Wang Jun in the Shandong goal.

It was to prove to be PSM’s only significant contribution to the game as Shandong comfortably took control in the second period.

Li Xiaopeng’s perfectly weighted free-kick seven minutes after the restart effectively ended the hosts’ resistance, the Chinese midfielder stroking the ball, right-footed, over the wall from 20 yards out before it sailed into the top corner of Hendro Kartiko’s net.

By the 56th minute it was all over as Shandong’s prowess at the set-piece proved effective once again, defender Li Ming rising about the Indonesians to meet Deng Cheng’s corner.

Makassar did battle on, with Bima firing across goal in the 64th minute and Kurniawan shooting high over the goal from the edge of the area.

With Shandong’s physical superiority proving too much of a difference between the teams, it looked like PSM would not earn the consolation goal the 25,000 home fans desired.

But with time running out, Suwandi struck from close range, volleying home from Yusrifar’s corner.

from AFC website