Hong Kong star Shinichi Chan Shanghai Shenhua's hero with winner deep into stoppage time
Hong Kong international Shinichi Chan was the unlikely hero with a winner deep into stoppage time as Shanghai Shenhua beat visiting Zhejiang Greentown 3-2 in the Chinese Super League on Saturday.
Advertisement
Chan was only called upon in the 63rd minute to replace Xu Haoyang and the left-back found the net in the 98th minute to give his side their fourth win in six matches this season.
Speaking afterwards, the 22-year-old said he did not expect to be his side's match winner.
'Usually it's Yu [Hanchao], so it felt good it was my turn today,' the former Kitchee player said. 'After I scored, I was thinking how to celebrate but my head was totally blank.
'Of course, we want to win more comfortably, this is what we need to focus on. We have our next two league matches [against Qingdao Hainiu and Wuhan Three Towns], we want to make sure we grab the maximum six points in front of the home fans.'
Joao Teixeira had given the hosts a 1-0 lead at half-time with a 21st minute effort and that was how it remained until a frantic final 20 minutes in which Chan played a leading role.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
World Cup hopes on the line for China in Jakarta
World Cup hopes on the line for China in Jakarta China's head coach Branko Ivankovic at a training session ahead of his side's clash with Indonesia. Photo: AFP Asian qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup are set to resume on Thursday with China facing Indonesia in a pivotal away match at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. According to tournament rules, only the top two in each six-team group advance directly to the World Cup – while the third and fourth-placed teams enter the playoffs. With two matches remaining, Indonesia sits fourth in Group C with nine points while China is level with Bahrain at the bottom on six points. Indonesia hold a three-point lead over China and a seven-goal edge in goal difference. A home win would all but guarantee Indonesia a top-four finish. For China, there is only one way to keep their World Cup hopes alive – win on Indonesian soil. So far, only Japan has managed a win in Jakarta during this qualifying campaign. Indonesia, fueled by passionate home support from around 80,000 fans, has turned its capital into a fortress – beating Saudi Arabia 2-0, edging Bahrain 1-0 and holding Australia to a 0-0 draw. On a humid Jakarta night in front of a raucous crowd – and an energetic Indonesian side bolstered by naturalised talent – the pressure awaiting China is immense. "The first step to reaching the playoffs is winning this match. This demands that we play attacking football, with every player giving their all in running and effort," said head coach Branko Ivankovic, who expressed confidence that his players could transform pressure into motivation. Ivankovic will have to contend with key absences – striker Wu Lei is sidelined with injury, while attacking midfielders Lin Liangming and Xie Wenneng are suspended. As a result, Zhang Yuning and Wei Shihao will bear much of the attacking burden. Fans will be eager to see 18-year-old Wang Yudong, who has impressed in the Chinese Super League, potentially earn his first national team start. His energy and pace could inject much-needed dynamism. The midfield performances of naturalised players Serginho and Yang Mingyang will also be vital. "This is a battle for survival," Zhang emphasised. "Victory is the only option – there's no room for retreat." He added that, as the away side, China must turn pressure into momentum and showcase the results of training and unity as a team. "We focused on key techniques like offense, defence and set-pieces," the midfielder said. "We've performed well, but in matches, we must be able to adapt flexibly to on-the-spot situations." Though the task is daunting, it is not beyond reach. In their previous Group C meeting with Indonesia, China – then mired in a three-match losing streak – came out aggressively, scoring twice in the first half before holding on for a 2-1 win. (Xinhua)
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong star aims to use Chinese Super League lessons in valuable Nepal test
Sun Ming-him said the Chinese Super League (CSL) had taught him 'how to deal with the psychological side of football', as he looked forward to a crucial week for the Hong Kong team. Advertisement Left-back Sun quickly became a regular starter for Cangzhou Mighty Lions after his transfer from Eastern in February 2024. The 24-year-old's career was temporarily thrown up in the air, however, when Cangzhou's financial issues saw them slung out of the Chinese leagues for 2025. Sun had sufficiently impressed in his debut campaign that he was snapped up by Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, who now sit sixth in the CSL standings. 'I had to start again from the beginning, to know my position in the team and how I could help,' Sun said. 'I needed to adapt to a new environment, and a new coach and teammates. They've all helped me, I'm so thankful for the chance, and I'm also grateful to Cangzhou for taking me to the CSL.' Sun gets ready to deliver a cross during Hong Kong's victory over the Philippines last November. Photo: Edmond So Already capped 34 times by Hong Kong, and an instrumental figure in the under-23s' 2023 Asian Games semi-final run, Sun was a flagbearer for the city's footballers when he moved across the border soon after last year's AFC Asian Cup finals.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong women's footballer calls for government backing as team eyes Asian Cup return
Vicky Chung Pui-ki has called on the government to pump more money into women's football in the city, as Hong Kong ramp up preparations for the start of their AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in late June. Advertisement In tri-series matches over the past week, the city team drew with hosts Bhutan and beat Malaysia in their last scheduled fixtures before they battle the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Cambodia for one spot in the 2026 finals in Australia. Chung said the women's game in Hong Kong had 'grown up' since her international debut in 2017, with the head coach Ricardo Rambo's team boasting players from leagues in England, Taiwan and mainland China. Chung had time with Scottish club Kilmarnock in the 2019-2020 season. Nonetheless, the 27-year-old Kitchee defender, who raised the possibility of following in the footsteps of Chan Yuen-ting as a female head coach in the men's game, lamented the absence of a full-time domestic competition in Hong Kong. 'We have so many talented young girls, but we could have more support from the government to give us the platform to promote women's football, and we could have a professional league in Hong Kong,' Chung said. Vicky Chung wants a professional women's league in Hong Kong. Photo: Kitchee Chung, whose team have an FA Cup final against their biggest rivals TSL on Sunday, coaches in schools to supplement her income.
