Paulinho’s stoppage time goal knocks Club America from Club World Cup

Guangzhou Evergrande shocked Club America to set up a Club World Cup semifinal date with mighty Barcelona.

Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Guangzhou side got goals from Zheng Long and Paulinho in the final 15 minutes to overcome Oribe Peralta’s 55th minute tally and eliminate the CONCACAF champions in Japan early Sunday.

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Paulinho’s goal came in the third minute of stoppage time.

Club America’s loss ensures that a CONCACAF side will not make its first CWC final appearance. America defeated Montreal in the CCL final this summer.

Here’s America coach Ignacio Ambriz:

I warned the players about this in our training sessions and team meetings and it actually happened. We were in complete control of the game, we started well - got the goal, but errors cost us.

Barca has won the competition twice and is the heavy favorite to win this go-round. The UEFA champs will face Guangzhou on Wednesday in Yokohama.

The other semifinal sees River Plate joined by Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who blanked former CWC finalist TP Mazembe (Democratic Republic of Congo) by a 3-0 score on Sunday.

The Club World Cup final will be staged next Sunday in Yokohama.

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