Lippi ban and red cards loosen Guangzhou's grip

Guangzhou Evergrande faces a serious test of its resolve this week after a triple player suspension and touchline ban for coach Marcello Lippi loosened its grip on the AFC Champions League title.

A 1-0 quarterfinal first-leg deficit against Western Sydney Wanderers does not seem insurmountable at Guangzhou's Tianhe Stadium but disciplinary woes have complicated the Chinese champion's task on Wednesday.

Last week's red cards to Zhang Linpeng and Gao Lin have robbed Guangzhou of two of its most dependable players while Lippi earned a touchline ban for storming onto the pitch in protest at the late dismissals.

The Chinese champion will be further weakened by the loss of South Korean centerback Kim Young-gwan, who is ineligible after picking up his second yellow card of the knockout rounds in Sydney.

Zhang and Kim have started every game for Guangzhou in this season's competition while Gao has played in eight of its nine matches.

However, it will take comfort from playing the second leg of the quarterfinal at its home stadium, which has become something of a fortress for Lippi's team.

Wanderers head coach Tony Popovic remains wary of the Chinese club, which still has former Italian internationals Alessandro Diamanti and Alberto Gilardino available.

"There is no one getting carried away in our dressing room," Popovic said. "We have a slight advantage but we are just in front at halftime.

"Of course we anticipate a really difficult game but they go home knowing they anticipate a difficult game as well."

The Chinese Super League side is trying to become the first club since Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad in 2005 to successfully defend the Asian title.

The winner will face either last year's runner-up, FC Seoul, or 2009 champion Pohang Steelers in the semifinals.

Their all-Korean quarter-final is still very much in the balance ahead of Wednesday's return match at Seoul World Cup Stadium after a goalless draw in the first leg last week.

In the west, UAE side Al Ain will take a 2-0 lead into its showdown in Saudi Arabia with Al Ittihad on Tuesday while another Saudi club, Al Hilal, will try to defend a narrow 1-0 advantage when it visits 2011 champion Al Sadd in Qatar.