CSL: Shanghai SIPG edge Wuhan Zall, Hebei held by Beijing
CGTN
Players from Wuhan Zall and Shanghai SIPG in action in a CSL game in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, east China, September 15, 2020. /VCG

Players from Wuhan Zall and Shanghai SIPG in action in a CSL game in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, east China, September 15, 2020. /VCG

Shanghai SIPG claimed a 2-1 victory over Wuhan Zall, while Hebei China Fortune tied with Beijing Guoan 3-3 in the 11th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province on Tuesday. 

Both SIPG and Zall started the game aggressively, but neither side managed a goal in the first half. SIPG broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic jumped to find the net with a powerful header. Eleven minutes later, Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy scored his first goal in the CSL for SIPG and extended the lead to 2-0. 

In the 80th minute, with the assistance of Jean Evrard Kouassi, Eddy Gnahore slotted home with a goal for Zall to narrow the gap to 2-1 but could make no further headway.

Beijing Guo'an's Cedric Bakambu controls the ball during the game against Hebei China Fortune in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, east China, September 15, 2020. /VCG

Beijing Guo'an's Cedric Bakambu controls the ball during the game against Hebei China Fortune in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, east China, September 15, 2020. /VCG

Hebei took a lead in the 10th minute against Beijing, when Buya Turay's long pass found Ricardo Goulart in the box and he volleyed into the corner of the net. 

In the 28th minute, thanks to a short cross from Cedric Bakambu in midfield, Renato Augusto dribbled through defender Ding Haifeng and contributed a calm tap-in to pull one back. 

Bakambu and Augusto helped Beijing grab another score by exchanging their roles in the 46th minute. Bakambu converted a header with the assist of Augusto to make it 2-1. 

The second half witnessed breakthroughs in the final moments. In the 89th minute, Alan Douglas Borges de Carvalho fired a missile for Beijing after finding a gap between two defenders. 

In stoppage time, Zhang Chengdong's right-footed volley enabled Hebei to cut the deficit to 3-2. 

A miracle happened in the last minute, after Beijing goalkeeper Guo Quanbo's defense from the back of Marcos Vinicius Amaral Alves gifted him a penalty after the referee checked the VAR, helping Hebei find the equalizer.  

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency