Under Saturday night lights in Beijing's Worker Stadium, a 10-man Beijing Guoan side turned a 1-0 deficit into a 6-1 rout of 9-man Shandong Taishan in a rollercoaster Chinese Super League clash. Three red cards, six goals and a statement win – here's how it all unfolded.
The drama kicked off early. In the fourth minute, Shandong's Zeca rose at the far post to nod in Valeri Qazaishvili's pinpoint cross and stun the hosts.
Guoan hit back just seven minutes later. Sai Erjiniao's precise pass found Zhang Yuning, whose cross was headed in by Fabio Abreu to level the score.
The contest turned physical. Wu Xinghan's tackle on Lin Liangming earned him a yellow card in the 27th minute, but after a VAR review, the referee upgraded it to a straight red. Just 10 minutes later, Shandong's Zeca was sent off for trampling on Wang Gang, leaving the visitors down to nine men.
Beijing seized control before halftime. Wang Dalei's deflection in stoppage time fell to Guga, who slotted home to make it 2-1 at the break.
The second half saw Beijing's momentum surge. In the 47th minute, Sai pounced on a rebound, chipping the ball over the keeper to extend the lead. Five minutes later, substitute Yang Liyu delivered a perfect cross for Abreu to head home his second of the night.
Guoan went down to 10 men in the 59th minute after Cao Yongjing halted Shandong's counterattack, but the extra man didn't slow them down. In the 78th minute, Zhang Yuning unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box to make it 5-1.
Deep into stoppage time, Yang delivered his second assist of the match, teeing up Zhang Xizhe to seal the 6-1 triumph. The result keeps Beijing undefeated through five games, with three wins securing a spot in fifth place but signalling their title ambitions.
This epic showdown highlights the drama and unpredictability of the Chinese Super League, where momentum swings can reshape a season in the blink of an eye.
Reference(s):
10-man Beijing walk over 9-man Shandong in CSL clash at home
cgtn.com
