SIPG’s form in CSL spices up derby clash
Print Edition
SHANGHAI SIPG and Shanghai Greenland Shenhua will fight it out for local honors at the Shanghai Stadium tonight with a row over ticket sales and a bounty for the winner spicing up the contest.
Tickets for the eagerly-awaited CSL clash were reportedly sold out two weeks ago with Shanghai SIPG saying it had kept aside 2,300 tickets for match day spectators.
Greenland Shenhua President Wu Xiaohui said he tried to negotiate with SIPG over tickets for its fans, promising to do the same for SIPG for its away match at Hongkou Stadium, but his suggestion was flatly rejected. According to CFA regulations, ticket exchange is private matter of the clubs.
Both teams have hyped up the clash by announcing a bonus of over 2 million yuan for a derby victory.
Shanghai SIPG is currently on top of the 2015 Chinese Super League with 18 points after eight rounds, followed by defending champion Guangzhou Evergrande (17) and Beijing Guo’an (15). Greenland Shenhua is in 7th place with 13 points in the 16-team standing.
Both teams invested heavily before the start of the season. Shanghai International Port Group took over the former East Asia club and renamed it Shanghai SIPG in November and named former England national coach Sven-Goran Eriksson as the new manager.
The Swede, who coached Guangzhou R&F last year, put his knowledge of Chinese soccer to good use as SIPG challenged the high-flyers.
Eriksson quickly got down to business and signed players including Argentine star Dario Conca, as well as national players like Yu Hai and Sun Xiang.
Greenland Shenhua also roped in a new manager in Frenchman Francis Gillot and made a statement of intent by signing Australian international Tim Cahill as well as two new foreign players.
While SIPG has enjoyed a wonderful run of form, Shenhua faltered after an early impressive start to the season.
Cahill managed only one goal — from the penalty spot — in his first eight matches in the Chinese league. The Australian broke his nose in Greenland Shenhua’s 0-3 loss to Evergrande last week. He was training with a mask yesterday and is expected to be play a part in the derby tonight.
Gillot described the derby as a “very meaningful match for both the teams and their fans,” while Eriksson insisted that the match was no different than the other matches.
“The team’s preparation is no different from what we do for other matches,” the Swede said yesterday. “We are a strong team, we can beat anybody, including (our opponent) tomorrow.”
Both teams scored 13 goals in the first eight matches but SIPG conceded only 5 against Shenhua’s 11. Despite the solid forms of strikers Giovanni Moreno and Paulo Henrique, Shenhua has struggled defensively.
A Shenhua supporter Jiang Zhihao said he was disappointed in not getting a ticket but said would try his luck at the stadium today.
“We’ve seen some positive changes in the teams after the big investments. Hope the good trend continues,” he said.
The other local team Shanghai Shenxin has struggled this season, sitting at the bottom of the standing with just one point. Manager Guo Guangqi resigned after five straight losses and former assistant coach Liu Junwei took over. Shenxin takes on champion Evergrande on Sunday.
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