Australia NewsACL - Shanghai's Winning Run Ends |
A pair of headers from veteran striker Wang Peng saw Dalian Shide battle back from a goal down to end Shanghai Shenhua's three-game winning streak.
Shenhua's captain Li Weifeng opened the scoring for the visitors 12 minutes after the break when he headed in a free-kick from the right by midfielder Xiao Zhanbo.But, 29-year-old Wang levelled the match just two minutes later, beating Shenhua's Hong Kong international defender Ng Wai Chiu in an aerial battle to score the equaliser from Hu Zhaojun's well-placed cross.
In the 64th minute Serbia international Drinic Darko sent in another cross from the right and Wang was there again, his header looping over Shenhua keeper Wang Dalei and flying into the top right corner of the goal.
The win moves Dalian on to 13 points and into a share of the league leadership with Tianjin Teda, Shanghai Shenhua, Changchun Yatai and Beijing Guo'an.
"We are very happy to win the game against Shanghai Shenhua," said Dalian manager Jo Bonfrere. "Wang Peng was in good form today though he had been sitting on the bench for five rounds. I am extremely happy with him for getting the two goals."
Shenhua - who will clash with Urawa Reds of Japan in an AFC Champions League match on Wednesday and are hoping to end a three-game losing streak in the continental tournament - went all out for victory after shifting their focus to success in the domestic league.
"We played good football in the second half, but our players paid a big price as they seemed to be sleeping for a few minutes," said Shanghai's coach Uruguayan coach Osvaldo Giminez.
Meanwhile, defending champions Shandong Luneng were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Changchun Yatai as they continued their indifferent form in the domestic league.
Wang Dong's free-kick put the guests ahead three minutes before the interval while national forward Han Peng scored the equaliser for Shandong only 10 minutes from time, heading in a cross from Aleksandar Zivkovic.
"Our players were impatient," said Shandong manager Ljubisa Tumbakovic, whose team are in sixth place in the standings. "I had to replace three of them to control the tempo in the second half."
In the day's other games, Beijing Guo'an were held to a goalless draw by Zhejiang Lucheng while Shenzhen Kingway beat Wuhan Huanghelou 2-1.
Sunday will see Tianjin Teda play Qingdao Zhongneng and Xiamen Lanshi clash with Henan Jianye.
Copyright (c) 2009 Press Association
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