Fans at Hongkou Stadium were on the edge of their seats as two-time defending champions Shanghai Port looked to reclaim the top spot in the Chinese mainland’s top flight. The atmosphere was electric, and hopes were high that Port could pull ahead in the title chase. 🔥
The game swung into action in the 11th minute when midfielder Liu Ruofan was brought down in the box by Tianjin defender Wang Xianjun. Gabrielzinho coolly stepped up, sending goalkeeper Yan Bingliang the wrong way and notching his ninth goal of the season to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. ⚽️
Tianjin Jinmen Tiger refused to back down. Just before halftime, midfielder Cristian Salvador slipped a perfect through ball to Alberto Quiles, who danced around defender Wei Zhen and slotted home the equalizer in the 43rd minute. Boom! 💥
The second half saw end-to-end action, but despite a few close calls and committed defending, neither side could find a winner. It finished 1-1, leaving fans craving more drama.
With the draw, Shanghai Port sit second on 48 points, just one shy of city rivals Shanghai Shenhua. Meanwhile, Tianjin Jinmen Tiger remain seventh. Both teams will regroup and look to make their next move in the epic CSL title race. 🔄
Reference(s):
Shanghai Port stumble in CSL title chase after draw against Tianjin
cgtn.com
