The Chinese Super Cup is played between the league winners and the cup winners of the Chinese game, similar to that of England’s Community Shield Trophy. This year’s game was played yesterday, or the 26th of February if you’re reading this at a later stage. League Champions Guangzhou Evergrande faced Cup Champions Shanghai Shenhua at the Hongkou Football Stadium in Shanghai; funnily enough Shenhua’s home. Just looking at the headline you probably gathered how this game went but we’ll get onto to that later. Firstly let’s have a look at the lineups.
Guangzhou Evergrande Starting Lineup:
GK 32. Dianzuo Liu
DF 5. Linpeng Zhang, 6. Xiaoting Feng, 35. Xuepeng Li, 23. Hanwen Deng
MF 16. Bowen Huang, 8. Nemanja Gudelj, 29. Lin Gao, 20. Hanchao Yu, 11. Ricardo Goulart
AT 7. Alan
Shanghai Shenhua Starting Lineup:
GK 27. Shuai Li
DF 16 Yunqiu Li, 34. Jinhao Bi, 3. Jianbin Li, 32. Aidi Fulang Xisi
MF 26. Sheng Qin, 13. Fredy Guarin, 39. Zhen Cong, 7. Jianqing Mao, 10. Giovanni Andres Moreno
AT 17. Obafemi Martins
The Match:
0′
Kick Off
23′
Guangzhou Evergrande full back Hanwen Deng was yellow carded.
26′
Bowen Huang gives Guangzhou the lead and Hanchao Yu with the assist making it 1-0 for Evergrande.
29′
Shenhua make their first substitution bringing off Jianbin Li and bringing on Lu Zhang.
37′
Closing in towards the half time break Fredy Guarin levels the scoreline for Shenhua making it 1-1.
43′
Shambles for Shenhua. After thinking they’d be able to go into the half time interval at one apiece, a lack of defence saw Alan peg Guangzhou back into the lead. 2-1 now.
45′
3 minutes added on
Stoppage Time’
Hanchao Yu was yellow carded for Guangzhou
Half Time
46′
The Restart
46′
Yunqui Li yellow carded for Shenhua.
46′
Shenhua make their second substitution of the match. Xiaoming Li came on for Jinhao Bi.
65′
With just over an hour played in the Super Cup, Guangzhou all but confirmed the victory when Lin Gao took it home. Now 3-1 to Guangzhou.
67′
Alan yellow carded for Guangzhou
68′
Liyu Yang comes on for Hanchao Yu in Guangzhou’s first sub.
74′
Xin Xu is Guangzhou’s second sub as he comes on for Bowen Huang
77′
Shenhua’s third and final sub is brought on as Ruofan Liu comes on for Fredy Guarin
86′
Ricardo Goulart is booked for Guangzhou
90′
5 minutes added on
90′ Guangzhou’s final sub, Boxuan Feng on for Lin Gao.
90+2′
The last nail in Shenhua’s coffin. Ricardo Goulart slots away a penalty to make it 4-1. The game well and truly over.
Full Time
Guangzhou Evergrande today took all the glory but it was a close game and it will be interesting to see how both teams get on throughout the season. I can’t wait. The curtain raiser is finished and now we can get on with the show.
Round 1 of the Chinese Super League kicks off this Friday, March the 2nd.