In a historic triumph, Shanghai Port defeated Shandong Taishan 3-1 in the Chinese Football Association (FA) Cup final in Wenzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, on Saturday. This victory marks the first FA Cup win in the club’s history and caps off a remarkable season in which they also secured the Chinese Super League (CSL) title earlier this month.
Both teams started the match with intensity, creating multiple scoring opportunities in the opening minutes. Shandong’s Peng Xinli nearly put his team ahead in the seventh minute when he broke past Shanghai’s goalkeeper Yan Junling, but his shot struck the post, leaving the score level.
Shanghai Port broke the deadlock in the 37th minute with a well-executed play from the right wing. Wang Shenchao’s precise cross found Gustavo, who deftly directed the ball to Li Shuai. Unmarked, Li capitalized on the opportunity, sending the ball past Shandong’s goalkeeper Wang Dalei.
Just before halftime, Shanghai extended their lead to 2-0. Oscar’s free kick was deflected by a defender but fell kindly to Feng Jin. His ensuing shot ricocheted off Leo Cittadini, wrong-footing goalkeeper Wang and finding the back of the net.
Shandong Taishan responded in the 53rd minute, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. A misjudged clearance by a Shanghai defender presented Zeca with a chance on the edge of the box. His powerful strike was unstoppable, soaring past Yan Junling into the goal.
Despite Shandong’s efforts, Shanghai Port continued to dominate, with goalkeeper Wang Dalei making several crucial saves to keep his team in contention. However, in stoppage time, Shanghai sealed their victory. Oscar intercepted a pass in the attacking third and fed the ball to Wang Zhen’ao, who surged into the box. Defender Zheng Zheng’s attempt to block resulted in an own goal, finalizing the score at 3-1.
With this win, Shanghai Port becomes only the fourth club to secure both the domestic league and the Chinese FA Cup titles in the same season, joining the ranks of Shandong Taishan, Dalian Shide, and Guangzhou Evergrande.
Reference(s):
Shanghai Port beat Shandong Taishan to win first ever Chinese FA Cup
cgtn.com
