Two of Eastern Asia's top football clubs, China's Shenzhen Jianlibao and South Korea's Busan I'Park, suffered "humiliating losses" to their Western Asian opponents in the first leg of AFC Champion League semi-finals Tuesday, China Daily reported. Shenzhen were routed 6-0 away by Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates while Busan I'Park were beaten 5-0 by Al Ittihad at home. Al Ain and Al Ittihad, the first and defending champions of the Champions League in a repeat in the 2002 AFC match-up, have been very close to providing an all-Arab finals.
"To the Chinese fans, the loss comes as yet another heavy blow this month after the other Chinese club Shandong Lunengtaishang were eliminated 8-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals and China's U-17 team were sent packing by Turkey with a 5-0 loss in FIFA World Championship in Peru," the China Daily article commented.
"To the Chinese fans, the loss comes as yet another heavy blow this month after the other Chinese club Shandong Lunengtaishang were eliminated 8-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals and China's U-17 team were sent packing by Turkey with a 5-0 loss in FIFA World Championship in Peru," the China Daily article commented.