The 26th round of the 2024 Chinese Super League (CSL) was held on the evening of September 21st at the Shanghai Stadium, where Shanghai Shenhua welcomed Tianjin Jinmen Tigers at home. Both sides showed a strong desire to win the match, and gave the fans an exciting duel.
Tianjin Jinmen Tigers took the lead in the first half, utilizing their opening attack to put Shanghai Shenhua under pressure. Just three minutes into the match, Ademi scored a header from a corner kick to give the Tigers a dream start. However, the good times didn't last long as Shanghai Shenhua then launched a counterattack, but unfortunately, the core of the team, Teixeira, was forced to leave the field in the 11th minute due to an injury, which undoubtedly dealt a blow to Shenhua's offense.
Despite the challenge of personnel changes, Shanghai Shenhua did not give up. At the start of the second half, they continued to intensify their attack, looking for a chance to equalize the score. Finally, after Malelai missed a great chance, he quickly adjusted his form and delivered a precise assist to his teammate. At that moment, 37-year-old Yu Hanchao, who came on as a substitute, showed that he has not aged well. After receiving a pass from Malelai, he calmly adjusted his angle and shot the ball into the dead corner of the goal, equalizing the score for Shenhua.
Just two minutes later, Yu Hanchao was at it again. Taking advantage of a quick counter-attack, he broke into the penalty area and cleverly dribbled past a defender, then calmly pushed the ball into the goal, completing the feat of scoring twice. This goal not only helped Shenhua to overtake the score, but also completely ignited the enthusiasm of the home fans.
Finally, with the referee's whistle, the match ended with a 2-1 victory for Shanghai Shenhua over Tianjin Jinmen Tigers. This victory is very significant for Shenhua, who not only won six consecutive matches in all competitions, but also further narrowed the gap with the table-topping Shanghai Seaport, which is now only two points behind, and continues to maintain a strong impact on the championship.
As for Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, although they scored first in this game, they failed to keep the lead until the end, and the momentum of three consecutive wins in the league came to an end. Currently, they are ranked sixth in the table with 36 points, which is still a certain gap from the top four of the title contenders.
