Guangzhou R&F host Seongnam in crunch Asian Champions League game

Guangzhou Evergrande won the continental title, China’s first since 1990, less than 18 months ago in just their second AFC Champions League appearance having reached the quarter-finals on their debut a year earlier.

And cross-city rivals Guangzhou R&F had seemingly proven they deserve their place at Asia’s top table, having finished third in the Chinese Super League (CSL) last year to earn their continental debut, after brushing aside both Singapore’s Warriors FC and Australia’s Central Coast Mariners in the play-offs before stunning Japanese treble winners Gamba Osaka 2-0 in their group F opener last month.

But after losing 2-1 at home to Thailand champions Buriram United two weeks ago, Guangzhou R&F welcome South Korea’s Seongnam FC to Yuexiu Stadium tonight having slipped to third place in group F heading towards the halfway mark of the group stage with Cosmin Contra’s side level on points with their second-placed opponents.

“This is a crucial match for us,” said Guangzhou R&F’s Romanian coach Contra, who saw his side lose 1-0 at home to Shanghai Shenhua in the CSL on Friday.

“If we can’t win this game, we will have serious problems in qualification.

“We don’t want to lose again at home. We’ve lost two home games in a row; we can’t afford to lose one more.”