Much had been made of Shanghai's challenge to become the first team to retain a P.E.P title. And for three games an 28 minutes, everything wa sin place for them to do just that.
Leading 1 - 0 to Athletico after an early goal by Golden Boot winner, Samuel Eto'o, Petr Čech became the first goalkeeper (and Shanghai's first player) to be sent off in P.E.P competition. It couldn't have happned in a bigger game and couldn't have happened at a worse time.
It meant the rookie, Guillermo Ochoa made his P.E.P debut and his first touch was to grab the ball out of the net. Playing for 61 minutes with ten men proved too difficult and depsite creating three one on one chances, Athletico won the game 3 - 2 and in doing so recorded their first ever win over Shanghai!
The sending off also meant Čech missed the next game against Evangelion and the occassion proved too much for the 22 year old Ochoa. The 4 - 1 loss was Shanghai's last of the competition and Rafe Kage felt the sending off cost them the title:
"We were in control of the game against Athletico and the sending off not only cost us that result but the one against Evangelion too. Ochoa will be a world class keeper and i have already moved to extend his contract with the club. He learned some valuable lessons against Evangelion which will hold him in good stead in the future".
Shanghai were the top scorers in the P.E.P for a fourth successive time but the manager's worries over his defence prior to the tournament were well founded:
"We have an incredibly talented and creative midfield and in Samuel Eto'o, have the best striker in the world! We are a team based around speed and skill going forward but it was clear there are issues with our backline that need addressing. It was important we beat every team at least once in this years competition, it gives the players belief. Now we need the consistency to go with it".
