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Hiroshima edges Guangzhou to finish third in FIFA Club World Cup

Xinhua, December 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

Thanks to Douglas' double, Japanese champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima came back to beat Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande 2-1 to finish third in the FIFA Club World Cup here on Sunday.

Paulinho scored a lucky header in the fourth minute to give Guangzhou an early lead, but Douglas, who came in as a substitute in the second half, turned the tables with two headers in the 70th and 83rd minute.

It was Guangzhou who opened the scoring early in the game. In the fourth minute, Gao Lin shot from distance but didn't get enough touch on the ball. Paulinho, waiting beside the post, easily headed it home.

Guangzhou had chance to increase their lead in the 28th minute, but Zhang Linpeng's attempt was deflected by the defender and hit the post.

Hiroshima nearly equalized just before the halftime whistle, Takuya Marutani's shot was past keeper Li Shuai but denied by Mei Fang in front of the goalline.

The second half got underway in a sleepy atmosphere, the two sides got little chance to threaten their opponents' goal in almost 20 minutes. In the 70th minute, Douglas came up big as he headed the ball home from far post off a corner pass.

In the 83rd minute, Douglas headed the rebound home after Takuma Asano's header hit the bar.

"Now we won the third place, we prove J-league is a quality league, this victory will help not only us, but the whole J-league improve," said Hiroshima's coach Hajime Moriyasu.

"Hiroshima played better than us, both in mentality and strategy, they deserve the result," Guangzhou's coach Scolari said. Endi