China’s Guangzhou Evergrande head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari (C) celebrates with midfielder Zheng Long after the AFC Champions League semi-final against Japan’s Gamba Osaka in Osaka.

AFP/Osaka

Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande reached the AFC Champions League final for the second time in three seasons after they drew 0-0 against the home side at Gamba Osaka yesterday.
The win handed the Chinese side a 2-1 aggregate triumph over the Japanese treble winners, though Evergrande could have extended their advantage from the first leg as Brazilian forward Elkeson squandered a pair of good openings on either side of half-time at the Expo ‘70 Stadium.
Evergrande’s well-organised defence was, however, rarely troubled by the home side as they held on to their narrow lead to set up a meeting in the final against Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates.
Al Ahli, who reached the final on Tuesday after a dramatic 4-3 aggregate victory over Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia 4-3, will host the first leg in Dubai on 7 November with the return game in southern China on 21 November.
Evergrande, winners in 2013 when they beat South Korean side FC Seoul on away goals in the final, led the semi-final 2-1 after a second-half header by captain Zheng Zhi from the first leg in Guangzhou three weeks ago.
Gamba had avoided elimination with three comeback wins during their run to the semi-finals but they struggled to find a way past the Evergrande defence during the opening hour.
They went close to a breakthrough in the 57th minute when Shu Kurata’s cut-back from the right was punched away by goalkeeper Zeng Cheng before it could reach a lurking Patric.
But the home team could not find the crucial goal as Luiz Filipe Scolari’s side hung on to clinch their place in the final. The Brazilian will be proud of this effort.