SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON’S Shanghai SIPG moved to the verge of the AFC Champions League knockout rounds with a convincing 2-0 away win over Japan’s Gamba Osaka on Wednesday.

    Second-half goals from Wu Lei and Lu Wenjun made it three wins out of four for SIPG, spearheaded by Guangzhou Evergrande old boys Elkeson and Dario Conca, as they tightened their grip on Group G.

    Playmaker Conca fired warning shots in the first half when his free kick was blocked on the line and another effort dropped at the feet of Yu Hai, who embarrassingly missed an open goal.

    Gamba’s Takashi Usami had a turn-and-shot tipped over the bar but SIPG had the edge and it was no surprise when they took the lead with a well-worked team goal on 66 minutes.

    Argentina’s Conca fed Wu on the edge of the box and the forward exchanged a one-two with Lu before he planted the return ball past Gamba goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi.

    SIPG cashed in on errors in the Gamba box six minutes later when Wu’s shot was parried by the goalkeeper and only half-cleared to Lu, who swung and blasted it home first time.

    Elsewhere, Vietnam’s Binh Duong got their first win in Group E when they stunned 2006 champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3-2, sealed by Nguyen Anh Duc’s second penalty of the night on 88 minutes.

    Jeonbuk finished the bad-tempered game with nine men after both Kim Chang-soo and Kim Hyung-il were sent off as the visitors squandered a 2-1 first-half lead.

    Nguyen scored from the spot in the 12th minute before Jeonbuk took charge with goals from Lee Jong-ho and Han Kyo-won, only for Christian Amougou to make it 2-2 on 35 minutes.

    And Nguyen held his nerve to bury his second spot kick two minutes from time to resurrect Binh Duong’s campaign and give them hope of reaching the last 16.

    (SD-Agencies)