Chinese Super League showdown: Shanghai Harbor and Shandong Taishan face off at the top of the table
As the Chinese Super League enters its final two rounds, leaders Shanghai Harbour will host Shandong Taishan, who are right behind them. An undefeated game would put Shanghai Seaports on course to win the Chinese Super League title. The match between the two teams is more exciting than the 1:1 draw in the first round. The first leg was a highly anticipated affair, with both teams going back and forth, and Fellaini sparking controversy when his goal was disallowed. Despite this, there were no serious clashes between the players, with Fellaini's argument with the referee even leading to him throwing down his captain's armband.
Once again, both sides are on the verge of a major confrontation. With intense rivalries and a tense atmosphere, this title fight certainly showed the ruthlessness of the Chinese Super League. However, the match itself didn't seem to get enough attention, sparking widespread skepticism. Shanghai Harbour has a unique lineup in the Chinese Super League with a total value of 219 million euros. Coach Javier used a 343 formation, fielding 11 players including Wu Lei and Oscar in the starting lineup. Shandong Taishan, on the other hand, used a 4231 formation, with Fellaini, Moises and 11 other players featured.
At the beginning of the match, Shanghai Seaport showed efficiency. In the 16th minute, Zhang Linpeng assisted Lu Wenjun's empty net goal for a 1-0 lead. However, in the 34th minute, Wu Lei's snatch shot was ruled out due to a handball foul by Xu Xin. In the 42nd minute, Lv Wenjun clashed with Chen Pu, both sides were shown yellow cards, and Lv Wenjun was sent off for accumulating yellow cards. In the second half, Harbour team's mood was affected, Cai Huikang and Moises clashed and both were sent off with red cards. Harbour head coach Javier was also red-carded in the 45th minute for protesting.
Although Shandong Taishan had a chance to turn the game around with their numerical advantage, substitute Fernando lost control of his emotions and was sent off with a red card in the 75th minute after knocking down an opponent. The match ended in a 1-1 draw between Shanghai Seaport and Shandong Taishan. Throughout the match, Seaport's ball possession was only 29%, and the number of shots and shots on goal were behind Shandong Taishan. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with referee Mai Maiti Jiang showing 15 cards, including 4 yellows and 3 reds for Shanghai Harbor and 6 yellows and 2 reds for Taishan. Despite the game spiraling out of control, Shanghai Seaport managed to make history with a strong squad, winning the Chinese Super League trophy for the second time.
