Argentine striker Matias Vargas delivered a stunning hat-trick to lead Shanghai Port to a 3-1 victory over South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai in the AFC Champions League Elite game on Tuesday. All three goals were skillfully assisted by Brazilian midfielder Oscar, showcasing a formidable partnership on the field.
The match kicked off at the Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium with Shanghai Port making an early breakthrough in the 11th minute. A swift counterattack down the left wing saw Oscar feed the ball to Vargas, who deftly sidestepped a defender before slotting the ball into the bottom left corner, putting Shanghai ahead 1-0.
Just 12 minutes later, Oscar capitalized on a defensive error, intercepting a pass in Ulsan’s box and setting up Vargas once again. Unmarked and composed, Vargas doubled the lead, marking his third consecutive game in the tournament where he scored with Oscar’s assist.
Shanghai faced a setback in the 31st minute when defender Li Ang received a red card for a foul on Lee Chung-yong, reducing them to ten men. Ulsan seized the numerical advantage and pulled one back in the 73rd minute, with Joo Min-kyu heading in a corner kick that bounced past the goalkeeper.
Despite the pressure, Vargas sealed the victory for Shanghai in the 83rd minute. Receiving another precise pass from Oscar, he surged forward and unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box, completing his hat-trick and securing the 3-1 win.
The victory propelled Shanghai Port to eighth place in the East Region, placing them in the knockout stage qualification zone of the AFC Champions League.
In another AFC Champions League match, China’s Shandong Taishan edged out Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) with a 1-0 win in Jinan. After a goalless first half, Zeca scored the decisive goal in the 68th minute, assisted by Cryzan. Goalkeeper Wang Dalei made several crucial saves to maintain the clean sheet, lifting Shandong to seventh place in the East Region standings.
Both Chinese Super League teams have boosted their prospects in the tournament, with performances that have thrilled fans and showcased their determination on the continental stage.
Reference(s):
Vargas, Oscar power Shanghai Port past Ulsan in AFC Champions League
cgtn.com
