Brisbane Roar’s winger Tommy Oar credited the Hyundai A-League club’s team cohesion for their 2-0 AFC Champions League (ACL) play-off win over Shanghai Shenhua in China overnight.
Oar was sensational in Shanghai and set up Brisbane’s early opener at Hongkou Football Stadium on Wednesday night before doubling the visitors’ lead just before half-time.
The victory sent Roar into the ACL group stage for the third time in the club’s history and Oar applauded his team’s fitness and work-rate after a famous win.
Roar reach ACL Group Stage after stunning Shanghai
Aloisi buzzing after classy Brisbane surprise Shanghai
“There are no star individuals in our team but we play well together and that was the most important thing,” Oar told Fox Sports.Â
“Because of the conditions in Brisbane we’re very fit so when we come and play in the cold we can run a lot more. That was a big advantage for us today.”
Roar ensured Carlos Tevez’s competitive debut for Shenhua ended in defeat, with the Argentine forward one of three ex-Premier League players involved at the Chinese Super League club.
Gus Poyet is in his first season as coach at Shenhua, while Tevez played in behind ex-Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins versus Brisbane.
Roar managed to keep Tevez, Martins and the rest of Shenhua’s line-up fairly quiet in the first half.
Tevez was clearly short of full fitness and went without making a shot in the first half.Â
The Queenslanders were pushed back for much of the second period with Jamie Young’s impressive save pushing a shot from Martins onto the post just past the hour mark.
“We knew that it was going to be a tough game with the way Shanghai Shenhua play and their passionate supporters giving them a lift,” Roar coach John Aloisi told Vince Rugari of AAP.Â
“I thought we played well in the first half.
“In the second half they got on top, we had to defend and we may have gotten lucky a few times but it’s a great result.”
The win means Brisbane advanced to Group E in the ACL group stage where they will meet J.League champions Kashima Antlers, Thai League champions Muangthong United and fellow qualifiers Ulsan.
Ulsan, who signed former Roar midfielder Dimitri Petratos this week, defeated Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee on penalties on Tuesday to reach the group stage.
