Jinan: Shandong Luneng defender Liu Junshuai's equaliser set the Chinese Super League side on their way to their ninth appearance in the AFC Champions League after a 4-1 win over Hanoi FC on Tuesday.
Former quarter-finalists Shandong had kicked off their play-off match against Hanoi, yet to appear at the Group Stage, as favourites but the Vietnamese champions impressed in the first half, taking a deserved lead through captain Nguyen Van Quyet before the break.
Coach Li Xiaopeng responded by bringing on Liu Junshuai for Wu Xinghan after the restart and the 24-year-old made the difference, firing home after Hanoi's defence failed to deal with a Liu Binbin header across goal.
"[Before I entered the pitch] the coach told me carry out my defensive duties and try to attack when the opportunity arises," said Liu Junshuai.
"And that thankfully led to me being at the right place at the right time to make an impact."
Italian international striker Graziano Pelle then gave Shandong the lead on 73 minutes before Liu Junshuai's fellow substitutes Liu Binbin and Zhou Haibin added flourish to the scoreline for the Jinan club late on.
Play-off: Shandong Luneng FC vs Hanoi FC
Despite the winning margin at full-time, Liu Junshuai admitted that Hanoi had proved a tough opposition, particularly in the opening 45 minutes.
"We expected the opposition to come at us. We had prepared for that and wanted to make sure we weren't complacent," he said.
"I felt that's how it panned out in the first half. We tried our best to contain the opponent but the tempo of the game proved quick and they connected well with their passes."
"This game really proved that the AFC Champions League is a very tough competition, and 2019 will be no different.
"Nevertheless, having won this game, we will now seize this opportunity to take part in the Group Stage and look to achieve success in the tournament."
Shandong will now compete in Group E, alongside defending champions Kashima Antlers, Gyeongnam FC of Korea Republic and Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta’zim.
Source: the-afc.com