A victory by Guangzhou Evergrande in the AFC Champions League, the biggest competition for club soccer in Asia, offered a quick hangover cure for Chinese fans reeling from the continuing struggles of their country’s national team.
The 1-0 win in the second leg of the finals against the United Arab Emirates’ Al Ahli on Saturday gave Guangzhou its second Asian Champions League title in three years. Its 2013 title was the first by a Chinese club.
Last week, China’s men’s national team drew 0-0 with Hong Kong in a match colored by domestic rivalry and political discontent.