In the Chinese Super League, Shanghai Shenhua defeated Shenzhen 3-0 thanks to two goals by Cephas Malele.
In the 28th minute, Malele broke the deadlock with a skilful header, setting the stage for a thrilling display by Shenhua. Wu Xi, a Chinese international player, capitalized on Malele’s flick-on, enhancing Shenhua’s lead with a powerful volley before the halftime whistle, as reported by Xinhua.
Malele’s brilliance continued as the match neared its conclusion, as he netted his second goal of the game with an impressive long-range shot.
The victory achieved by Shenhua not only secured them the triumph but also narrowed the gap between them and the dominant leader, Shanghai Port, to a mere 14 points.
On a different front, Cangzhou Mighty Lions added to the woes of relegation-threatened Dalian Pro, triumphing over the struggling team with a score of 2-1.
Deabeas Owusu-Sekyere stunned the spectators with a bicycle kick that handed Cangzhou the lead during injury time of the first half. In the 76th minute, Wang Peng increased their advantage, tapping in a rebound after Oscar Maritu’s shot hit the post.
Despite a late effort from Lin Liangming, who had previously been part of Real Madrid’s youth team, Dalian managed to pull back only one goal in the 86th minute. Their valiant attempt wasn’t enough to prevent the defeat, leaving them second from the bottom of the CSL standings with a total of 15 points from 21 games played.
In additional fixtures, Wuhan Three Towns emerged victorious over Henan FC with a 4-2 scoreline, while the match between Tianjin Jinmen Tigers and Beijing Guoan concluded in a goalless draw.
-IANS
