Adam Le Fondre scores again to earn Sydney FC a point at Shanghai SIPG

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:23 am

Sydney FC just about kept alive their AFC Champions League campaign with a 2-2 away draw to Chinese champions Shanghai SIPG on Tuesday.

The Sky Blues led 1-0 at half-time, but trailed 2-1 before Adam Le Fondre netted a 62nd-minute equaliser.

Sydney remain bottom of the four-team group having drawn three of their four games and losing the other one

They are only two points behind second-placed SIPG, but need to win at group leaders Ulsan Hyundai in South Korea in two weeks to remain in contention..

Both teams had chances to win the game as they produced another thriller following their 3-3 draw in Sydney earlier in the month, with Sky Blues goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne making some splendid saves.

Substitute Lin Chuangyi almost won the game for SIPG, but his 78th-minute shot was pushed away by Redmayne.

Shanghai SIPG's Wang Shenchao (C) heads the ball during the AFC Champions League game against Sydney FC.
STR / AFP

At the other end, Josh Brillante fired a long-range shot straight at the goalkeeper and the lively Le Fondre couldn't quite squeeze the ball home from close range.

The Sky Blues suffered a blow before the game when Serbian playmaker Milos Ninkovic pulled out due to illness following the warm-up.

SIPG have never lost a Champions League home game and made a promising start. Redmayne pulled off fine first-half saves to twice tip away fierce long distance shots from Hulk and also beat out an effort by Zhang Wei.

While SIPG enjoyed a good spell in the first 15 minutes, Sydney came into the game as the half progressed, and while they didn't create a lot of clear-cut chances O'Neill's goal was deserved reward for their enterprise.

O'Neill's neat sidefoot finish rounded off a classy counter-attack initiated by a trademark dash down the right from Rhyan Grant, with Iranian Reza Ghoochannejhad's first-time touch releasing Anthony Caceres, who provided the telling through ball for the goal.

SIPG hit back with two goals in the first 15 minutes.of the second half.

Half-time substitute Elkeson headed in a corner from Brazilian compatriot Hulk within two minutes of the restart and a smart close range volley from Wang Shenchao gave the home side the lead just before the hour.

Sydney equalised within three minutes, when Le Fondre headed home a Siem de Jong cross.