Beijing Guoan extended their unbeaten run in the Chinese Super League (CSL) with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Henan on Friday. The match was filled with drama from the outset, as Fabio Abreu thought he had put Guoan ahead in the ninth minute, only for his close-range effort to be ruled offside.
The Angolan striker continued to press, but frustration mounted as he missed another opportunity in the 17th minute, sending a shot over the bar amidst chaos in the penalty area. The deadlock was finally broken in the 28th minute when Fang Hao executed a deft stepover before slotting a low shot into the net, giving Guoan the lead.
The tension escalated late in the game when Zhang Xizhe received a red card in the 90th minute for a reckless challenge on He Chao, forcing Guoan to defend their slender lead with ten men. Despite the setback, they held on to secure all three points, solidifying their fourth-place position with four wins and four draws. Henan, meanwhile, remain in 12th place.
In another exciting encounter, defending champions Shanghai Port edged newly-promoted Yunnan Yukun 3-2 on the road. Yukun thought they had taken an early lead in the 15th minute, but Hou Yongyong’s strike was disallowed for offside. Shanghai Port capitalized in the 20th minute when Gabrielzinho set up Leonardo, who finished calmly to open the scoring.
Just after the break, Gabrielzinho doubled the lead with a spectacular strike in the 47th minute. Yukun fought back, with Pedro Henrique narrowing the deficit in the 69th minute after a one-on-one with goalkeeper Yan Junling. However, Shanghai Port responded swiftly as Leonardo netted his second goal in the 73rd minute, assisted by substitute Wu Lei.
The closing moments were intense. Yan Junling made a stunning save to deny Hou Yongyong in the 87th minute, but couldn’t stop Sun Xuelong’s header in stoppage time, which brought Yukun within a goal. Despite dominating in shots and chances, Yukun couldn’t find an equalizer, extending their winless streak to four games. Shanghai Port now sit third after eight matches, while Yukun are 11th in the standings.
Reference(s):
CSL: Guoan hold on for win against Henan, Port edge Yukun in thriller
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