Hey, football fam! ⚽🔥 South Koreas Gangwon just made history with their first-ever AFC Champions League victory, beating Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua 2-1 on the road.
Shanghai Shenhua, juggling a tight title race back home, rested some key players for their Asian opener. Gangwon looked sharp from the get-go, with Vitor Gabriel drawing a great save from keeper Bao Yaxiong in the 23rd minute.
Despite being on the back foot early on, Shenhua broke the deadlock just before halftime. Midfielder Gao Tianyi delivered a pinpoint through ball (a pass that splits the defense) to João Teixeira, who curled it into the top corner to make it 1-0.
The South Korean side hit back in the second half. Hong Chul curled in the equalizer in the 54th minute, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Nine minutes later, confusion in the Shenhua box let Gu Bon-cheol pounce and slot home the winner.
The final whistle sparked wild celebrations as Gangwon celebrated a landmark 2-1 win. Its a wake-up call for all Asias football heavyweights: Gangwon is here to compete! 🌏🏆
Reference(s):
Gangwon beat Shanghai Shenhua 2-1 for first AFC Champions League win
cgtn.com
