Shanghai Shenhua lost 2-3 to Shandong Taishan at the Shanghai Stadium on Thursday. The result moves the visitors up to fifth place in the Super League table.
Mijit Mewlan struck for the visitors in the first minute. Shanghai responded well, with Rafael Ratao scoring in the 41st minute and L. Asue adding another just before the break.
The balance changed after the restart. Cryzan stepped up to take a penalty in the 79th minute, and R. Merkies followed up with a goal in the 83rd to secure the points.
By then, the match had settled into a pattern where Shanghai controlled the ball but Shandong controlled the danger. The hosts held 59 per cent possession and recorded 115 attacks, yet Shandong created four big chances against Shanghai’s three. It was a reminder that possession does not always win games.
To be fair, Shandong’s form has been inconsistent lately. They lost to Qingdao Tai'an but have won three of their last five matches. This result puts them six points clear of the hosts.