SYDNEY FC clinched top spot in its Asian Champions League (ACL) group Tuesday despite suffering a 1-0 defeat to last year’s winner, Guangzhou Evergrande, in their final match of the first stage.

    While stumbling at the final hurdle, other results in Sydney’s favor ensure the Sky Blues finish Group H as the winners and will avoid a round of 16 match against the high-flying FC Seoul.

    Already assured of a place in the knockout stages, Graham Arnold opted to rest many of those walking suspension tightropes while Brazilian Ricardo Goulart was the only high-profile foreigner starting for Luis Felipe Scolari’s team, in the absence of Paulinho and Jackson Martinez.

    Despite having nothing to play for and a lack of firepower for the big spending Chinese club, it was the Sky Blues who stumbled first. After just two minutes, Sydney FC showed signs of lack of familiarity and perhaps match fitness when they conceded to Gao Lin who latched on to a superb cross from the left flank.

    (SD-Agencies)