 |
|
Asian champions held in China [Fri Sep 16th, 2005]
In a hard-fought quarter-final first leg match in China, Al Ittihad and Shandong Luneng still have all to play for.
Shandong Luneng (China) 1-1 Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia)
In a niggly game on China’s east coast, defending champions Al Ittihad came away from Jinan with a point after drawing 1-1 with Shandong Luneng.
There wasn’t much action to speak of, but the Chinese side will have been surprised to see Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura book four Al Ittihad players in the first half as the official had sent three Chinese players off against South Korea in July, one of whom was the wrong one.
There were no such shenanigans at the home of Shandong and three minutes into the second half, influential captain Mohammed Noor headed the visitors into a lead. It lasted for only six minutes as Li Xiaopeng equalised from a free kick for last season’s Chinese Super League runners-up.
The two meet in the second leg on September 21 in Jeddah.
News headlines from around the world.