In a thrilling encounter at Suzhou's Jiangsu Province, Shanghai Shenhua emerged victorious over their city rivals, Shanghai Port, with a final score of 3-2 to clinch the Chinese Football Association (CFA) Super Cup. This victory marks the fifth time Shenhua has lifted the season-opening trophy, solidifying their status in Chinese football.
From the outset, Shenhua posed multiple threats to Port's goal. Just five minutes into the match, Saulo Mineiro and Andre Luis launched close-range attempts, testing the reflexes of Port goalkeeper Yan Junling, who made several brilliant saves to keep his team in the lead.
Despite Shenhua's early aggression, it was Shanghai Port who took the initial lead in the seventh minute. A well-executed free kick by Jiang Guangtai was deftly headed by Gustavo to Gabrielzinho, giving the defending Chinese Super League (CSL) champions a 1-0 advantage.
However, Shenhua's persistence paid off in the second half. In the 67th minute, a Port defender's clearance from a corner kick found Ibrahim Amadou at the top of the box. Amadou didn't hesitate, unleashing a powerful volley into the bottom right corner to level the score at 1-1.
The match continued to be a showcase of skill and determination from both sides, but it was Shenhua who ultimately secured the win, retaining their Super Cup title and delighting fans with a memorable derby performance.
Reference(s):
Shenhua defeat Port to win Shanghai Derby edition of Chinese Super Cup
cgtn.com
