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Controversy mars SIPG's win over visiting Guizhou

By Ma Yue | 14:50 UTC+8 May 7, 2017 | Online Edition

SHANGHAI SIPG has refuted claims made by Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng FC that its assistant coach was struck by Brazilian striker Hulk during their Chinese Super League match on Saturday.

Controversy marred SIPG’s comfortable 3-0 win over Guizhou at Shanghai Stadium after the visitors made the claim in their post-match conference.

Guizhou’s head coach Li Bing claimed assistant coach Yu Ming was hit by Hulk and demanded the Chinese Football Association to investigate the incident.

“There was some argument … and Hulk abused our assistant coach when we were walking in player’s tunnel. When we walked up to him, he hit our assistant coach Yu Ming with his fist, and Yu fell on the ground,” said Li. “We looked for referee and the match supervisor. They didn’t show up before the start of the second half.”

Yu told reporters that Hulk hit him in his face during the argument.

“Hulk abused us in Portuguese during the match, a language we could understand. When I walked towards him in the tunnel, he hit me and I fell on the ground. We were then separated by security," Yu said.

“We want top level foreign players to help us. We hope they can help China’s soccer with their professionalism... Their skill is strong, but you cannot look down on the Chinese,” he said.

Villas-Boas said he did not see the incident.

“I was the first one in the dressing room as always to prepare my notes,” said the Portuguese. “Hulk was the second to arrive, so I doubt anything happened.”

The two teams did exchange words in the first half when Villas-Boas kicked a ball back on the pitch, but Guizhou coaches suggested Villas-Boas was interrupting the match.

AVB’s English interpreter Zhai Zongxin said he was present during the angry exchange of words but denied there was any physical contact as some reports claimed.

“Both sides were a bit emotional in the first half. In the player’s tunnel, Hulk and a Guizhou assistant coach argued with each other, but there was no physical contact. When Hulk walked ahead, another Guizhou assistant coach called him from the back. Hulk turned back and wanted to argue with him before the two were separated by club staff and security,” Zhai wrote in his WeChat post.

It was Li’s last match as Guizhou’s head coach. Former Beijing Guo’an and Shanghai Shenhua coach Gregorio Manzano will take over the job from Monday.

SIPG issued a statement at noon today saying the match supervisor and police watched the video footages and there were no signs of “physical violence.”

“Guizhou head coach Li Bing and assistant coach Yu Ming’s improper words caused a tiff between foreign players and Chinese that reflected badly on the club and CSL. It was against CFA’s regulation. We reserve the right to appeal to the CFA’s discipline committee,” the SIPG statement said.

SIPG captain Wang Shenchao scored with a header from an assist by Hulk to give SIPG the lead in the closing minutes of first half. Hulk doubled the lead in the 72nd with a powerful long shot. Guizhou’s Australian defender Ryan McGowan was shown a red card in the 88th after a handball on the goalline. Elkeson scored from the spot to seal the win.

SIPG is second in the CSL standing with 17 points – two points behind leader Guangzhou Evergrande.

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