Shenhua apologise after Roar ACL defeat

Feb 9, 2017 - 6:10 AM Chinese soccer club Shanghai Shenhua FC, spearheaded by expensive new signing Carlos Tevez, have apologised to fans after being dumped out of Asia's top club competition by Australian side Brisbane Roar.

Shenhua, managed by Uruguayan Gus Poyet and who also have Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins on their books, were beaten 2-0 in chilly conditions in Shanghai in their Asian Champions League final qualifying round clash on Wednesday.

"For the shame of today's result, we offer a sincere apology to all those fans who braved the bitter cold to come to the stadium and support Shenhua," the club said in a statement on its official blog.

"The players all did their best, and we longed to win as much as you did, but sometimes soccer can just be this cruel."

Shanghai Shenhua bought Tevez from Boca Juniors in December for a reported $US89.76 million ($A117.69 million) and made the 32-year-old the sport's highest paid player with a reported salary of $US753,000 ($A987,334) per week.

Shenhua's fans vented their anger at the loss.

"It would be better to spend this huge money on stellar coaches than huge annual salaries for these players," said one fan in a post on Sina Weibo, China's version of Twitter.

"The season hasn't even started yet and we're out of the Asian Champions League. The crowd is already losing hope."

Source: AAP