In a nail-biting clash that had soccer fans on the edge of their seats, Shanghai Port snatched a thrilling 3-2 victory over Beijing Guoan in the Chinese Super League (CSL) on Sunday. Brazilian star Leonardo stole the show with a hat-trick, keeping Port’s title hopes alive while leaving Guoan scrambling to stay in the race. 🚀
The match kicked off with fireworks as Leonardo fired Port ahead just seven minutes in, capitalizing on a slick cross from Li Shuai. But drama unfolded when both teams saw goals disallowed before halftime—first for offside, then a handball—before Fabio Abreu’s penalty leveled the score. Talk about a rollercoaster! 🎢
Port’s golden boot Leonardo wasn’t done. He tapped in a rebound after VAR overturned an offside call, then completed his trio of goals with a clinical finish off Gabrielzinho’s assist. Zhang Xizhe’s late strike for Guoan sparked hope, but it wasn’t enough to stop their third straight loss. 💔
Meanwhile, league leaders Chengdu Rongcheng drew 1-1 with Shanghai Shenhua, keeping Port just a goal difference away from the top. Tianjin Jinmen Tiger also climbed to sixth after a 1-0 win. The CSL title race? Officially 🔥.
