Defending Champions Guangzhou on verge of elimination after 2-2 draw in AFC Champions league

Defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande were left on verge of elimination after being held to 2-2 draw by Urawa Red Diamonds at home in an Asian Champions League Group H game here on Wednesday.

Ricardo Goulart scored twice in the first 14 minutes to give the hosts a comfortable lead. Yuki Muto opened in the 29th minute for the Japanese side, before Shinzoh Kohrogi pulled it level in the 89th minute.

Guangzhou were awarded a penalty in the fifth minute as Mei Fang was fouled by Zlatan Ljubijankic inside the box. Ricardo Goulart netted easily to open the scoring for the home side.

The Brazilian scored a much easier goal to gift Guangzhou a 2-0 lead in 14th minute thanks to Jackson Martinez' fine back heel pass.

The Japanese side were back into the game in the 29th minute as Yuki Muto netted an easy header after Guangzhou's keeper Zeng Cheng failed to parry a corner kick far enough.

Urawa missed the chance to make it 2-2 in the 35th minute, only to see Zeng deny Tomoaki Makino's promising free-kick.

Zeng saved the home side again to refuse Yuki's shot inside the box in the 51st minute.

Urawa should have equalized in the 66th minute, but Shinzoh Kohrogi's header narrowly missed the target.

The unyielding Japanese side finally found the equalizer in the 89th minute when Kohrogi drove the ball into the far corner. Endi