Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Guangzhou: Shanghai SIPG inched closer towards their first Chinese Super League title after beating defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande 5-4 on Saturday.
Shanghai's Lu Wenjun opened the scoring in the 14th minute, only for Guangzhou's Paulinho to equalise in the 30th, before Cai Huikang restored the visitor's lead on 40 minutes.
However, it was Guangzhou who would hold the advantage going into the half-time break with Alan Carvalho levelling the scores three minutes later before Paulinho scored his second of the night in the third minute of first half added time.
Shanghai returned from the break more spirited and Chinese international Wu Lei found the back of the net in the 50th minute.
In the 79th minute, Guangzhou were once again trailing from an own goal by Zhang Chenglin, before Hulk scored the winning goal from the penalty spot a minute from full time.
Guangzhou narrowed the deficit through Carvalho scoring from a penalty in the fifth minute of added time but it was too little too late, as Shanghai claimed a convincing win.
The win takes Shanghai top of the CSL standings with 65 points, followed by Guangzhou on 60. With two matches left to play till the end of the 2018 season, another win against Beijing Renhe on Wednesday will secure Vitor Pereira’s side their first title.