Season’s 1st city derby ends in a stalemate
Print Edition
THE first Shanghai derby of the 2016-2017 Chinese Super League season between Greenland Shenhua and SIPG ended in a 1-1 draw at Shanghai Stadium last night, during which Shenhua’s Senegal striker Demba Ba missed a decisive penalty.
“The miss proved to be the turning point of the match,” Greenland Shenhua manager Gregorio Manzano said at a post-match press conference, though the Spaniard was generally happy with the team’s performance despite the result.
Both teams were looking for a first league victory in front of some 46,000 spectators at the packed Shanghai Stadium on a freezing evening — SIPG having lost its opener and Shenhua being held at home. Visiting Shenhua began the match aggressively and had a dream start when captain Giovanni Moreno headed the ball into the net on a throw-in by Qin Sheng just seven minutes after kick-off.
Shenhua had a chance to enlarge the lead seven minutes later when SIPG’s Wang Yuanchao fouled Ba in the box. Ba walked up to the spot himself, only to send the ball way off the post.
SIPG’s chance came in the closing minutes of the first half. Elkeson took a shot on target from a corner by Dario Conca in the 42nd. The ball hit the bar and found SIPG midfielder Cai Huikang, who scored the equalizer with a header.
Manzano replaced the injured Moreno with Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins at the start of the second half. The two sides made three more substitutions, but failed to create anymore open chances.
“Both teams played aggressive football today,” Manzano said, who also turned 60 yesterday. “We managed to control the first half, on both attack and defense. I’m happy with my players though the result is a bit disappointing.”
Compared to Manzano, his counterpart Sven-Goran Eriksson was more mad at SIPG’s performance. “We are not happy that we didn’t win today. The players were not in the game during the opening 20 minutes,” said the Swede. “Then we were lucky (when Shenhua missed the penalty), and the team were playing better in the second half, but didn’t create enough chances. We are not 100 percent yet. The team has to do better.”
Eriksson said the team would shift its focus to its third AFC Champions League group match against J-League side Gamba Osaka, which will be held on the same venue on Tuesday. “I’m looking forward to Tuesday, and hope we can play better than today. The team has to go on working instead of panicking. I’m not happy, but I’m not worried.”
In other CSL second-round matches, Jiangsu Suning overcame league newcomer Yanbian Funde 2-1 and Shandong Luneng defeated Liaoning Whowin 3-2.
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