Five red cards as Shanghai Port wins Super League

Shanghai Port claimed the Chinese Super League title at the end of a foul-tempered clash with nearest rivals Shandong Taishan yesterday, picking up the point they needed with a 1-1 draw in Pudong in a game that featured five red cards.

Lu Wenjun had given Shanghai a 16th-minute lead only for bedlam to break out late in a first half that had been growing increasingly fraught, with referee Mametjan Ahmet handing out a flurry of red cards.

Lu was the first to get his marching orders in the 41st minute, and he was followed by Shandong's Moises, Shanghai Port's Cai Huikang, Shanghai coach Javier Pereira and Shandong's Fei Nanduo. Shandong did manage to pull level with a minute remaining, Xie Wenneng scoring from close range after Cryzan's initial shot from the edge of the area had been parried by Yan Junling.

But Choi Kang-hee's side were unable to find a winner, leaving Shanghai to claim the title for the first time since 2018.