Soccer-Champions Shandong down Shanghai Port to pull level with Wuhan

HONG KONG : Reigning champions Shandong Taishan pulled level on points with Chinese Super League leaders Wuhan Three Towns on Sunday as Hao Wei's side handed Shanghai Port a 3-1 defeat in Jinan.

Shandong's win over fourth-placed Port took last season's title winners onto 53 points from 22 games, level with a Wuhan side who lost 1-0 to Chengdu Rongcheng on Saturday.

Chengdu handed the leaders their third defeat in five games when Mutellip Iminqari latched onto a through ball from Brazilian midfielder Saldanha in the 25th minute before stroking a right-foot shot around goalkeeper Liu Dianzuo.

As a result, Shandong knew going into their meeting with 2019 champions Shanghai Port that victory would allow them to close up on a Wuhan side that has dominated the division so far this season.

It took Hao's team until the 60th minute to open the scoring when Marouane Fellaini saw his initial shot parried by goalkeeper Yan Junling and substitute Wu Xinghan scored from an acute angle a minute after coming on.

Brazilian striker Cryzan hit the second 14 minutes from time after receiving a defence-splitting return pass from Moises, only for Wu Lei to halve the deficit four minutes later with a volley from inside the six-yard box.

Cryzan restored Shandong's two-goal cushion with three minutes remaining, however, when he confidently finished off a rapid break.

Third-placed Shanghai Shenhua missed out on their chance to close the gap on the lead duo when they slipped to a 2-1 loss against Cangzhou Mighty Lions while Henan Longmen, in fifth, secured a 2-0 victory over Shenzhen FC.

Zhejiang FC notched up a 2-1 win over Tianjin Tigers as Beijing Guoan handed Guangzhou FC a 4-1 thumping that saw the eight-time champions drop to 17th on the table, with