FC Seoul in control after 3-1 win over Shandong in AFC Champions League quarter-final
Brazilian ace Adriano scores for South Korean side with other goals coming from man-of-the-match Park Chu-yong and Dejan Damjanovic
FC Seoul took a grip on their AFC Champions League quarter-final after overcoming Shandong Luneng 3-1 in the first leg in the Korean capital on Wednesday.
Goals from Park Chu-young, Dejan Damjanovic and Brazilian top scorer Adriano gave them a deserved two-goal cushion to take to China for the second leg on September 14.
Adriano had been dropped to the bench after a recent form slump despite 11 Champions League goals this campaign. Instead it was former Arsenal attacker Park who was preferred to partner Damjanovic up front.
It didn’t take long for coach Hwang Sun-hong’s decision to be vindicated as Park, who in the 16th minute had blasted wastefully wide when it seemed easier to score, turned provider three minutes later.
The Seoul number 10’s cross found Damjanovic with the freedom of the penalty area as he nodded home unmarked his eighth goal in his last eight games from the edge of the six-yard box to open the scoring.
It was man-of-the-match Park’s turn on 31 minutes to take advantage of shoddy Shandong defending.