Zheng's late free kick moves Shandong to within point of leaders

HONG KONG : Defending champions Shandong Taishan moved to within a point of Chinese Super League leaders Wuhan Three Towns with a 2-1 win over Meizhou Hakka on Wednesday.

Zheng Zheng struck two minutes from time as Hao Wei's side came back from a goal down to win after Wuhan had lost for the second time in a row 24 hours earlier.

Wuhan had been unbeaten in the opening 17 games of the season and held a seven-point lead over Shandong but a 2-1 defeat by Zhejiang FC came hot on the heels of an earlier loss against Cangzhou Mighty Lions.

Nyasha Mushekwi gave Zhejiang the lead seven minutes into the game between the newly promoted pair with a header and Hong Kong international Leung Nok-heung saw his deflected effort from a corner double the advantage 20 minutes later.

Zhejiang's Yue Xin was sent off in the 73rd minute for a second bookable offence and, while Marcao pulled one back for Wuhan with 13 minutes remaining via a spectacular overhead kick, Pedro Morilla's side were unable to find an equaliser.

That gave Shandong, who won their fourth Chinese league title last season, the chance to close the gap on the leaders.

After a goalless first half, Nebojsa Kosovic put Meizhou ahead with a little over a quarter of the game remaining when he volleyed in from the edge of the penalty area.

But Brazilian striker Cryzan levelled three minutes later having latched on to Marouane Fellaini's pass and Zheng netted the winner in the 88th minute when his free kick from outside the area took a huge deflection to beat goalkeeper Hou Yu.

Shanghai Shenhua consolidated their hold on third with a 1-0 win over Henan Longmen through Christian Bassogog's 50th minute penalty to move Wu Jingui's team five points ahead of fourth placed Shanghai Port.

Port