In a display of resilience, Beijing Guoan overcame a first-half setback to edge Shanghai Port 2-1 in Shanghai, extending their unbeaten streak in the Chinese Super League (CSL) to nine matches and climbing into third place.
The visitors were rocked early when captain Wang Gang limped off injured in the 22nd minute, forcing Wu Shaocong into action. Despite the disruption, Guoan rebuilt their rhythm on the road.
Shanghai Port struck first in the 40th minute, as Mateus Vital’s corner found Liu Ruofan, who powered a header past the keeper. Just 90 seconds later, Dawhan threaded a long ball to Lin Liangming, whose low cross saw Fabio Abreu pounce on the rebound to level the score.
At halftime, Shanghai’s goalkeeper was forced off, and Chen Wei came on to shore up the hosts. But ten minutes into the second half, Lin Liangming ghosted past two defenders and unleashed a thunderbolt into the top corner, giving Guoan the lead.
Shanghai Port pressed for an equalizer late on, including a stoppage-time header that rattled the bar, but Guoan’s defence and goalkeeper Hou Sen stood firm. Zhang Yuan’s high-press moment and a series of solid clearances sealed the result.
With this hard-fought win, Beijing Guoan send a statement to the rest of the league, blending tactical discipline with star power. As they look ahead to their next fixture, momentum is firmly on their side in the race for the 2023 CSL title.
Reference(s):
Beijing Guoan overcome Shanghai Port to remain undefeated in CSL
cgtn.com
