Chengdu Rongcheng hosted Shanghai Shenhua at the Shuangliu Sports Center on Saturday, 22 August 2026, in a 24th round clash of the Chinese Super League that ended 4:5 to the visitors. The match was decided by penalties in the dying moments after Felipe Silva converted two from the spot, with a VAR award adding to the drama. The result keeps Chengdu top of the table on 51 points while Shanghai remain ninth with 28.
Chengdu struck first through He Yiran in the second minute, but Shanghai responded quickly. Luís Asué equalised in the 21st minute before Wellington Silva restored the hosts' advantage in the 35th. Asué brought the visitors level again in the 51st, and Rafael Ratão gave Shanghai the lead in the 53rd. Chengdu fought back through Xie Pengfei in the 74th minute, setting up a tense finish.
And here's the thing — the match turned on penalties. Chengdu's Qinghao Xue and Shanghai's Chenjie Zhu picked up bookings in the second half, while Han Pengfei received a yellow late on. A VAR penalty at 89 minutes gave Felipe Silva his chance. He scored twice from the spot in the 90th minute plus two, completing his hat-trick and sealing the victory for Shanghai.
To be fair, Chengdu dominated possession with 52 per cent and created more chances. They registered 101 attacks compared to Shanghai's 75, and their seven big chances created versus the visitors' four told a story of territorial control. But Shanghai were more clinical, converting their opportunities despite fewer chances and less possession.
By then, both sides had made changes. Chengdu brought on Yang Ming-Yang, Wang Ziming and Haoyang Xu in the 61st minute, followed by Egor Sorokin in the 70th and He Yiran and Wei Shihao in the 75th. Shanghai introduced Tianyi Gao and Luís Asué in the 83rd, then Shinichi Chan and João Carlos Teixeira in the 90th minute.
The statistics revealed a curious pattern. Chengdu took 13 shots with 42 per cent accuracy, while Shanghai managed 7 shots on target with 44 per cent accuracy. Both teams won 22 aerial duels, suggesting a physical contest. Shanghai's goalkeeper made only one save compared to Chengdu's three, indicating the visitors faced less pressure despite taking more shots overall.
Chengdu's victory would have extended their lead at the top, but this result leaves them with a point advantage over their nearest challengers. Shanghai's away win adds momentum to their push for European qualification places. The goalscorers — Asué with three, Felipe Silva with two, and single strikes from He Yiran, Wellington Silva, Rafael Ratão and Xie Pengfei — ensured this was a match remembered for its attacking intent rather than defensive solidity.