Brazilian midfielder Oscar scored a second-half penalty to help Shanghai Port secure a 1-1 draw against South Korea’s Gwangju FC on Tuesday, keeping the team in contention for the Asian Champions League knockout stage.
At 33, Oscar remains one of the last prominent players from the Chinese Super League’s previous era. Following the match, he refrained from confirming reports about his potential departure from the club. “I will make my final decision with my family in the coming days and weeks,” he stated.
In September, the former Chelsea star indicated to Brazilian media that he plans to leave when his contract expires at the end of December. Oscar joined Shanghai Port during the 2016-17 season for a reported transfer fee of $73 million.
Currently, Shanghai Port sits seventh in their group with eight points. The tournament features 24 teams, with the top eight from each group advancing to the Round of 16. Meanwhile, Australia’s Central Coast Mariners are nearly out of contention after suffering a 4-0 defeat to Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos, leaving them with just one point from six matches.
“To defend against a top team like Yokohama, you all have to be willing to work, stick to the game plan, and stay connected. In the first half, we had players who didn’t want to do that,” said Central Coast coach Mark Jackson. Yokohama leads the group, tied on 13 points with Gwangju and Vissel Kobe, who lost 3-1 to South Korea’s Pohang Steelers.
In the western zone, Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor drew 1-1 with defending champions Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates. Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia, already assured of a spot in the next round, moved into first place with a 3-0 victory over Al-Gharafa of Qatar.
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