SUZHOU, China, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) — Beijing Guo’an drew with Shanghai SIPG 1-1 for a 3-2 aggregate win in the third-place playoff of the 2020 Chinese Super League (CSL) season.
Guo’an also secured a slot in next season’s Asian Champions League playoff.
“There was a little bit of slack in the first half, but we played very well on the defensive end and scored a counter-attack goal,” Guoan manager Bruno Genesio commented after the match.
“As Shanghai equalized in the second half with massive offense, our players were mentally and physically focused to keep a 1-1 draw and qualify for the ACL. I’m very grateful for their effort in the past four months.”
Genesio was not satisfied with the third place his club achieved, as he had been aiming for the title. “It was extremely disappointing to get eliminated just one step away from the finals by Guangzhou Evergrande,” said Genesio. “We had to get away with it and bounce back. We’ve shown our attitude in the games against Shanghai as a top team.”
Meanwhile, SIPG manager Vitor Pereira lamented the result while praising his own side.
“We played well and created lots of chances. It was a pity that we didn’t manage to score more. We did better than our opponents and we deserved to finish third. It’s not our lucky day today.”
SIPG will now have to win the Chinese FA Cup in order to qualify for next season’s Asian Champions League.
“It will be up to the club to prioritize the FA Cup and remaining AFC games this season. I always want to field the best players but I will communicate with the club,” said Pereira.