After going two goals behind in the first leg of their AFC Champions League quarter-final against Urawa Red Diamonds, hosts Shanghai SIPG were awarded a pair of penalties which has given them a lifeline heading into the second leg.
The visitors took the lead as early as the third minute when Shanghai goalkeeper Yan Junling failed couldn’t keep hold of the ball, allowing it to drop perfectly to the feet of defender Tomoaki Makino, who made no mistake in slotting the ball home.
It got even worse for the home side on the half-hour mark, when striker Shinzo Koroki got on the end of Kazuki Nagasawa’s lobbed ball and doubled the Reds’ lead from a difficult angle.
The combined attacking might of Shanghai’s three superstar forwards – Oscar, Hulk, and Marko Arnautovic – were unable to break through the former Champions’ defense in open play.
However, the Chinese outfit was given a lifeline just after half-time, when defender Mauricio Antonio brought down Oscar in the box, leading the referee to award a penalty. Hulk made no mistake with the penalty won by his countryman, finding the back of the net even though goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa dived the right way.
Antonio was at fault again just 20 minutes later, when Lu Wenjen’s shot came off his arm, leading the ref to point to the spot once again. Hulk managed to find the net for a second time from the penalty spot, and the two sides finished the game level after the comeback.
However, having scored two away goals, 2017 champions Urawa remain the favorites heading into the second leg, which is set to be played at the Saitama Stadium on the 17th of September.