Mid-table finish for local teams in CSL
Print Edition
The three Shanghai teams in the Chinese Super League finished nose to tail in mid-table in the final standings as the 2013 season drew to a close yesterday.
Shenxin ranked highest among the three teams, placing seventh in the 16-team standing on 40 points. Shanghai Shenhua, which started the season on minus 6 points due to match-fixing in 2003, ended eighth with 38 points, edging ninth-placed Shanghai East Asia by one point.
Guangzhou Evergrande had already claimed its third straight league title last month with three rounds remaining but it was still relentless in yesterday’s final round. Wuhan Zoll was its hapless victim, falling 0-5, with Argentine midfielder Dario Conca contributing a brace.
Evergrande topped the table with 77 points, 18 points more than Shandong Luneng.
Qingdao Jonoon, which lost 0-1 to third-placed Beijing Guo’an, was relegated, having finished second last on 31 points. It joined Wuhan, which ended up with 16 points.
With a first top-ten finish this was Shenxin’s best season in the CSL, since it was promoted in 2010. It had ever finished higher than 13th.
Taking on Tianjin Teda at Yuanshen Stadium, Brazilian forward Kieza scored a brace, including a penalty, as Shenxin won 2-1 for its fourth straight victory.
“We created history this year,” said midfielder Yu Tao. “Only club members know the difficulties we faced during the season. Now it’s time to celebrate!”
Shenxin finished 15th last season but survived the drop thanks to Dalian Shide pulling out citing financial problems.
Injury-depleted Shenhua, missing Xu Liang and Giovanni Moreno, meanwhile lost 2-4 away to Guangzhou R&F despite equaling twice.
Obviously unhappy
Goalkeeper and captain Wang Dalei was obviously unhappy as his team conceded two goals in the last 15 minutes to lose. In an after-match interview, he pointed to some crucial defensive errors which proved costly.
Guangzhou R&F finished sixth with 40 points, same as Shenxin but edged the Shanghai team on goal difference.
Shanghai East Asia drew 0-0 with host Jiangsu Sainty.
“Ninth is not a bad position since it’s the team’s first CSL season,” defender Wang Shenchao said. “We learned a lot this season, a year filled with ups and downs. Our aim for next season will be top three.”
Elsewhere, Changchun Yatai beat Liaoning Whowin 1-0 to escape delegation, finishing third from bottom on 32 points, same as Jiangsu Sainty. Shandong Luneng thumped Guizhou Renhe 5-1 and Dalian Aerbin edged Hangzhou Greentown 1-0.
Evergrande pocketed the CSL title early enough to shift its focus to the AFC Champions League final against Seoul FC. It is the only club to defend a CSL title — twice — since the top league began in 2004. The other team to win three successive titles was Dalian Wanda (later rechristened Dalian Shide) in the “Jia-A” era, when it was the China Jia-A League.
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