Fabio Abreu came off the bench to score the winner as Beijing FC edged Buriram United 1-0 in their AFC Champions League Elite League Stage match on Tuesday.
The Portuguese forward was one of three second half substitutions that turned the game for the China PR side just when Thailand’s Buriram were threatening to break the deadlock to give Nick Montgomery’s outfit their second win of the campaign.
The home side sounded the first warning with Guilherme Bissoli’s seventh minute dipping shot covered by Beijing custodian Hou Sen before Supachai Chaided attempted a long range strike that sailed just over.
Buriram then got even closer after a fantastic Caju delivery from the left flank found Toni Moya unmarked in the box but the midfielder’s point-blank header was straight at Hou.
Against the run of play, Beijing carved out a great chance when Chadrac Akolo ran onto Jeremy Dudziak’s through pass and tried to round Neil Etheridge, only for the giant Buriram goalkeeper to stick out a hand to diver the ball away.
There was another opportunity for Buriram six minutes before the end of the first half through a well-hit Sebas Moyano strike from distance which took a nick off Bissoli and kept rising past the bar.
Four minutes into the second half, Buriram struck the woodwork with a fierce Bissoli effort that hit the base of the post with Hou beaten as the home side looked for the breakthrough.
Beijing responded to Buriram’s charge with a triple change on the hour mark as Sai Erjiniao, Abreu and Lin Liangming came on in place of Dudziak, Akolo and Zhang Xizhe as head coach Montgomery looked to change the momentum of the game.
The substitutions worked in favour of Beijing as they took the lead in the 79th minute with Guilherme Ramos’ long throw knocked into the danger zone by Lin with Abreu perfectly placed to steer a header past Etheridge.
Dawhan Oliveira had the opportunity to extend Beijing lead four minutes later but his header from Erjiniao’s corner delivery sailed just over but the miss did not matter as the visitors saw out the win.
RESULTS
Al Ittihad (KSA) 1-2 Shahab Al Ahli (UAE)
Al Sadd (Qat) 0-2 AL Hilal (KSA)
Al Seeb Club (Oma) 0-3 Al Hussein (Jor)
East Bengal (Ind) 2-3 Al Shirta (Irq)
Cong An Ha Noi (Vie) 0-1 Kashima Antlers (Jpn)
Buriram United 0-1 Beijing (Chn)
Kyoto Sanga (Jpn) 1-0 Ratchaburi (Tha)
Pohang Steelers (Kor) 0-2 Johor Darul Ta’zim (Mas)
Shanghai Port (Chn) 1-1 Daejoen Hana Citizen (Kor)
Newcastle Jets (Aus) 1-3 Gamba Osaka (Jpn)
