BEC Tero defeat Shanghai 4-1

Bangkok:

2003 Asian Champions League finalists BEC Tero of Thailand kicked off their 2004 Group E campaign with an impressive 4-1 win over China's Shanghai Shenhua on Wednesday in Bangkok. BEC Tero, who lost in the final to inaugural Champions League winners Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates, got goals from four different players en route to the victory. After a sluggish first-half, Shanghai got their opportunity just before the break when Tero's (11) Thanongsak Pajakkata was penalised for bringing down Shanghai's (11) Dejan Petkovic in the area. But Shanghai' s (6) Joerg Albertz had the disappointment of seeing his penalty stopped by a diving BEC Tero 'keeper Phansa Meesatham. Just over a minute later and Tero took full advantage of this miss when skipper (14) Worrawoot Srimaka controlled a cross in the area, then fired home past Yu Weiliang to give the hosts a one-nil lead five minutes from the interval. The Thai side doubled its advantage less than 60 seconds after the re-start when (20) Narongchai Wachiraban blasted home a long range effort for a two-nil BEC Tero lead. Shanghai got one back in the 71st minute when (9) Saul Martinez latched on to a ball from Dejan Petkovic to reduce the deficit to two-one. But 11 minutes later, BEC Tero's (15) Datsakorn Thonglao blasted in a free-kick to regain the Thai side's two-goal advantage. Moments later frustration showed for Shanghai when (31) Xue Zhiqiang was red-carded for this cynical challenge on the BEC Tero goalscorer Datsakorn, leaving the Chinese side down to 10 men. The Thais took full advantage when (22) Panai Kongpapan scored just before the final whistle to make it four-one to BEC Tero Sasana and that's how it would. Group E is next in action on February 25, when BEC Tero Sasana travel to Japan for a match with J-League side Jubilo Iwata, a 2-1 winner Wednesday over South Korea's Chonbuk Hyundai, while losers Shanghai host Chonbuk. (AP)

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