On the evening of July 13th, Shanghai Shenhua hosted Changchun Yatai at Hongkou Football Stadium in the 19th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL). This game is crucial for both sides, Shanghai Shenhua is eager to continue their winning streak, while Changchun Yatai wants to prove their strength in front of their strong opponents.
The first half began with a fierce confrontation between the two sides. However, only in the 10th minute of the match, there was a dramatic scene on the field. Shanghai Shenhua defender Jiang Shenglong made a mistake in defense and passed the ball directly to the opponent's striker Zui, who took the gift with a smile and easily pushed the ball into the goal, giving Changchun Yatai an unexpected lead. The loss of this goal undoubtedly gave Shanghai Shenhua's defense a wake-up call.
But Shanghai Shenhua did not panic, they quickly adjusted their state and strengthened the attack. In the 25th minute, Teixeira took the ball on the left road and made a Robben-style breakthrough. He skillfully shook through the defenders, and then took a precise shot that hung in the corner of the goal to equalize the score. The goal not only showed Teixeira's individual ability, but also ignited the enthusiasm of the home fans.
After the break, the two sides continued to fight fiercely in the second half. In the 55th minute, Shanghai Shenhua crossed the ball from the side, Yu Hanchao grabbed a header inside the penalty area, but unfortunately the ball hit the post and bounced out, missing the chance to change the score. However, Shanghai Shenhua did not give up and continued to look for a breakthrough. In the 65th minute, Malelai was tripped by an opponent in the penalty area, the referee decided to award a penalty kick, and Malelai himself took the penalty kick, Shanghai Shenhua 2-1 to overtake the score.
But Changchun Yatai didn't give up, they strengthened their offense and tried to equalize the score. In the 75th minute, Changchun Yatai took advantage of a counter-attack, and Wang Jinxian took a long-distance shot from outside the penalty area, and the ball flew through the crowd into the corner of the goal, equalizing the score at 2-2. This goal made the game full of suspense again.
However, Shanghai Shenhua didn't give their opponents much of a chance to catch their breath. In the 85th minute, Shanghai Shenhua got a corner kick opportunity, Zhu Chenjie jumped up high in the penalty area, overpowered the defenders, and scored a header to put the score beyond the goal again, 3-2! This goal almost locked the victory.
Although Changchun Yatai fought back with all their might in the following game, Shanghai Shenhua's defense was solid and didn't give their opponents too many more chances. Finally, with the referee's whistle, the match ended with Shanghai Shenhua defeating Changchun Yatai 3-2 and enjoying their fourth consecutive victory. After this victory, Shanghai Shenhua's points reached 49 points, only 2 points behind the top of the harbour, ranking second in the league; while Changchun Yatai accumulated 18 points, ranking 11th.
