04.03.2015 12:03 h

Goulart's hat-trick secures epic win for Guangzhou

A hat-trick from record signing Ricardo Goulart held off strong-finishing defending champions Western Sydney Wanderers and gave Guangzhou Evergrande a 3-2 win in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday.

Goulart was the difference for new boss Fabio Cannavaro's big-spending Chinese Super League champions, who looked set for a comfortable win with a 3-1 lead and 25 minutes left in Sydney.

But a lengthy delay to treat stricken goalkeeper Zeng Cheng added 17 minutes' stoppage time to the game and gave the home side a chance to hit back.

A goal in stoppage time by Dutch substitute Romeo Castelen gave the Wanderers a chance to snatch a last-ditch draw. But the tiring Guangzhou players hung on for a significant away victory to keep them unbeaten and at the top of the Group H standings.

It was only the Wanderers' second loss at home in the ACL, following their 1-3 defeat to South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai in last year's championship season.

Goulart put Guangzhou Evergrande ahead in the 19th minute after neat lead-up work from fellow Brazilian Elkeson and Gao Lin.

Goulart, who scored the winner for the 2013 ACL champions last week over FC Seoul, drilled home after Elkeson's back header and a pass from Gao.

There was lingering feeling from the last time the two teams met in a 2-1 Wanderers win in Sydney in the quarter-finals last year.

Iacopo La Rocca made a heavy challenge on Zou Zheng, who fell to the ground clutching his ankle.

La Rocca equalised for the home side 12 minutes after the resumption with a near-post header off a corner, but within a minute Goulart put Guangzhou back in front with his second goal.

Goulart's slick finish off Gao Lin's cross punished Wanderers for a lack of concentration immediately after their equaliser.

Wanderers paid for more slack defending when Gao's cross was only played into the path of Goulart, who rammed home for his hat-trick on 65 minutes.

Guangzhou lost goalkeeper Zeng Cheng after a sickening head clash with South Korean teammate Kim Young-Gwon, and there was a delay of 15 minutes before Cheng was stretchered off the field in a neck brace. He was later reported to have suffered a broken cheekbone.

The match spilt over into extended stoppage time because of the Cheng injury delay. Castelen pulled a goal back in the fourth minute of stoppage time with a free header inside the box to fire up the home supporters.

But Guangzhou held firm to stay unbeaten in the Asian competition.