The race for the Chinese Super League crown is heating up after Shanghai Shenhua and Chengdu Rongcheng both slipped in their 14th matches. Third-placed Beijing Guoan seized the moment, extending their unbeaten streak to 13 games with a 2-1 victory over Changchun Yatai at Workers' Stadium in Beijing.
The breakthrough came in the 17th minute when Changchun goalkeeper Wu Yake misjudged a back pass, gifting the ball to veteran midfielder Zhang Xizhe. He made no mistake, slotting home to give Guoan an early lead. Just seven minutes later, striker Fabio Abreu intercepted a loose pass on the opponent's half and set up Cao Yongjing for a clinical finish that doubled the advantage.
Changchun fought back late, and an 88th-minute assist from He Yiran found Tan Long for a consolation goal, but it wasn't enough to dent Guoan's momentum. With 29 points from 13 games and a match in hand, Beijing Guoan are now only three points behind Shanghai Shenhua and one behind Chengdu Rongcheng.
As the CSL title race tightens, Guoan's mix of experience and youthful energy has them poised to challenge at the summit. With more than half the season still to play, fans can expect another thrilling chapter in China's top flight.
Reference(s):
Beijing Guoan creep closer to top of CSL after top two clubs both lose
cgtn.com
