Shänxi Union secured a narrow 2:1 victory over Heilongjiang Lava Spring in the Regular Season, Round 22 of Lige Yige on September 5th. The home side moved further clear of mid-table uncertainty, while the visitors' struggles deepened. And here's the thing — it was not a match that ran away from either side, but one decided in the final quarter.
D. Irandust opened the scoring in the 50th minute, putting Shänxi ahead after a period of cautious exchanges. Heilongjiang had made an early change with Zhang Yujie's substitution in the seventh minute, and the visitors pushed for an opening. Shänxi held firm until Irandust's strike broke the deadlock. By then Zhao Shi had already picked up a yellow card in stoppage time before half-time.
Heilongjiang equalised through Zhong Wen in the 67th minute, the same hour Shänxi brought on two players — Li Zhi and Han Yuchen — and Mi Haolun for the hosts. The visitors had Wang Shijie on for them as well, searching for momentum. To be fair, the equaliser came at a time when Shänxi's shape looked slightly unsettled by the double change.
Tang Shi restored Shänxi's lead in the 75th minute, and the home side managed the game from there. Heilongjiang made two more substitutions in the 78th minute with S. Gao and Hu Jiajin, while Wei Zhiwei came on for them in the 85th. The visitors could not find another equaliser despite running at Shänxi in the closing stages.
Shänxi sit sixth with 32 points from 21 games — nine wins, five draws, seven defeats. Heilongjiang trail in thirteenth place with 22 points from 22 matches, their record reading four wins, ten draws, eight losses. The gap between them widens by another point after this result.
Shänxi's recent form showed inconsistency — a 3:1 win over Yanbian Longding followed by a heavy 1:4 loss to Nantong Zhiyun, then a 2:1 victory against Changchun Yatai. Heilongjiang's run included a 3:4 defeat to Suzhou Dongwu and a 1:2 loss to Hebei Kungfu before they picked up a 1:1 draw with Nanjing City. This result shifts the balance slightly in Shänxi's favour as the season progresses.