Chinese Super League: Guanghzou Evergrande secure top spot as Dalian division heats up with two games left
- Late win for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Guangzhou R&F sees side leapfrog Rafa Benitez’s Dalian Pro as they chase down Shanghai Shenhua
- Chinese Super League champions will play fourth-place team in the Suzhou division after win over Henan Jianye
Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande secured top spot in the Dalian group of the coronvirus-divided season with a 2-1 win over Henan Jianye on Monday.
Elkeson, the Brazil-born China striker, opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Paulinho put Fabio Cannavaro’s side 2-0 up tapping home from on the line after Fernandinho’s shot was blocked by the Henan keeper.
Henan’s Olivio da Rosa halved the deficit just before the half-hour mark and it should have been level midway through the second half but Fernando Karanga was denied from 12 yards by goalkeeper Liu Dianzuo.
Victory confirmed that the champions will face the fourth-place team in the Suzhou group when the second round begins.
A late goal from Ye Chugui settled the game between Dalian Pro and Guangzhou R&F, with the winner coming in second half stoppage time.
The teams entered the game level on points and the victory for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side saw them leapfrog Rafa Benitez and Dalian.
Victory leaves Guangzhou R&F a point behind fourth-place Shanghai Shenhua with two games to go. The top four teams play for championship and AFC Champions League places in the next stage while the bottom four teams from each group battle it out to avoid relegation.
Shanghai Shenhua and Jiangsu Suning ended goalless, with the game notable for Fidel Martinez making his Shenhua debut, after replacing Obafemi Martins at the club.
“I am very happy to represent Shenhua. I think it is a tough game and our opponents are very strong, but even one point is important to us,” Martinez told reporters after the game.
Second-placed Jiangsu’s failure to win gave hope to third-placed Shandong Luneng, who caught level on points thanks to a 2-1 win over Shenzhen in Monday’s other game.
Duan Liuyu put Shandong ahead after 13 minutes before Graziano Pelle kept his nerve from the spot, scoring deep into first half injury time. Gao Lin pulled one back in the second half for Jordi Cruyff’s side, also a penalty.
Shenzhen are in fifth, also a point behind Shanghai Shenhua.
