CHINA’S high-spending Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, spearheaded by expensive new signing Carlos Tevez, apologized to fans after being dumped out of Asia’s top club competition by Australian side Brisbane Roar.

    Shenhua, managed by Uruguayan Gus Poyet and who also have Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins on their books, was beaten 2-0 in chilly conditions in Shanghai in their Asian Champions League (ACL) final qualifying round clash Wednesday night.

    With the 2016-17 A-League season already midway, Brisbane Roar sent only 17 players to Shanghai. But they proved their intent by scoring just 90 seconds into kick-off.

    Tommy Oar’s left-wing pass found an unmarked Brandon Borrello in the box, who sealed the opener for the visitors.

    Despite some drizzle and temperatures no higher than 3 degrees Celsius, the Socceroos seemed to be adjusting well, testing Shenhua’s defense again in the 10th minute by hitting the post.

    The hosts’ best chance in the first half came in the 21st when Martins, right in front of the goal line, received a pass from a freekick but shot wide.

    Brisbane extended its lead in the 40th. Shenhua defenders appeared to be distracted as a Brisbane player lay prostrate in the box. The A-League side chose to continue play instead of kicking the ball out, allowing an unmarked Oar to score from close range.

    “For the shame of today’s result, we offer a sincere apology to all those fans who braved the bitter cold to come to the stadium and support Shenhua,” the club said in a statement on its official microblog.

    “The players all did their best, and we longed to win as much as you did, but sometimes soccer can just be this cruel.”

    Shenhua finished fourth in the Chinese Super League last season, 16 points behind champion Guangzhou Evergrande.

    Amid of flurry of high-profile transfers by Chinese clubs, Shenhua bought Tevez from Boca Juniors in December for a reported 84 million euros (US$89.76 million) and made the 32-year-old the sport’s highest-paid player with a reported salary of US$753,000 per week.

    Tevez’s arrival in Shanghai came hot on the heels of Brazilian midfielder Oscar joining local rival Shanghai SIPG from Chelsea in a deal believed to be worth 60 million euros.

    Graziano Pelle, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Jackson Martinez are all recent arrivals in China, while Shanghai SIPG manager Andre Villas-Boas is also on a lucrative contract since replacing former England boss Sven Goran-Eriksson.(SD-Agencies)