CSL - Chinese Super League - news

weibo

Chinese Super League Rumors: Shanghai SIPG striker Asamoah Gyan attracts interest from Chelsea, could move back to England this summer

Recent rumors are out that current Shanghai SIPG striker Asamoah Gyan has attracted the interest of English Premier League squad Chelsea and could be moving back to England this summer.

The 30-year-old Ghana national team captain previously suited up for English club Sunderland AFC for two seasons before he decided to leave Europe in favor of stints in the United Arab Emirates and China with Al Ain FC and Shanghai SIPG FC respectively.

Caught Offside recently reported that last season's Premier League champions are "considering a move to bring" Gyan "back to the Premier League" as incoming head coach Antonio Conte seeks to improve the Blues' scoring options next season.

The Ghanaian forward was known as one of the best goalscorers in the world when he played for the Black Cats from 2010 to 2012. After spending one whole season at the Stadium of Light, scoring ten times in 31 appearances in the English top flight, he played three games in 2011-2012 before being sent on loan to Al Ain for the rest of the season.

The following season, the UAE Pro-League club made the move permanent by signing him to a five-year contract worth £6 million a year. He became the top scorer in UAE that time with a highly impressive stats of 31 goals in 22 contests.

Last summer, he joined Chinese Super League giants Shanghai SIPG at an undisclosed transfer fee. With a weekly wage of £227,000, Gyan became one of the world's highest-paid football players.

His first season with the Red Eagles had been unproductive for his standards, though, as the Accra native only scored five goals in 10 matches for Sven-Göran Eriksson's side with chronic injuries hounding him. His play did not improve this term once more because of recurring injuries as he could only suit up in six out of the first 11 games of SIPG, netting two goals.

Meanwhile, Chronicle Live indicated that Shanghai is eyeing Zenit's Brazilian striker Hulk as a potential replacement for Gyan as they are close to approving his move to the Stamford Bridge this summer.

------------------------------------------------xxxxxxx--------------------------


Beijing Guoan blanks Shandong Luneng, 2-0, climbs to 8th spot of standings

Beijing Guoan FC finally went on an unbeaten run as the capital city squad blanked reeling powerhouse Shandong Luneng Taishan FC, 2-0, in a match held at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium last Sunday as the 2016 Chinese Super League season approaches its midseason mark.

Resident striker Yu Dabao netted the first goal of the match at the 13th minute from a pass by midfielder Zhang Chengdong, via Soccerway.

The second goal was scored in the second half, one minute before the hour mark, by another local striker, Zhang Chiming, off a cross from winger Zhang Xizhe.

The win sent Beijing on a two-game undefeated streak as the game was also the second straight match that the Imperial Guards were handled by former assistant and now interim head coach Xie Feng.

Xie took over from the sacked Alberto Zaccheroni in the middle of May. The 63-year-old Italian mentor was fired by the club after leading the team to a 2-4-3 slate in the first nine rounds of this term's competitions, which was unacceptable to Guoan's senior officials.

Beijing has been a perennial contender in the China top flight and is known for their high-scoring, fast-paced style of play, something that Zaccheroni failed to maintain as the team was shut out in five of its nine games with the former Juventus head coach.

The last straw was when the Imperial Guards were thrashed by newly-promoted side Hebei China Fortune, 0-2, on May 18 at their own home field of Workers' Stadium. Two days after the match, the club announced Zaccheroni's firing.

The decision proved to be the correct one for club chairman Li Jianyi and company as the difference is immediately apparent in the squad's first game under Xie, a 1-1 tie with middling club Shijiazhuang Ever Bright.

Meanwhile, Guoan's victory brought Shandong to their sixth straight winless performance this season, China.org noted.

While last season's third-placed squad is performing well in the AFC Champions League, Taishan Dui could not find their top form in the first division domestic competitions, leaving them third from the cellar of the current league table.

------------------------------------------xxxxxxx------------------------

Hebei China Fortune routs Chongqing Lifan, 3-1, claims 2nd spot in league table
Newly-promoted squad Hebei China Fortune FC overtook powerhouse team Jiangsu Suning FC to the second spot of the 2016 Chinese Super League table after they routed lowly club Chongqing Lifan FC, 3-1, on the road at the Chongqing Olympic Sports Center last Sunday.

Local striker Dong Xuesheng opened the scoring right at the third minute of the contest off an assist by French midfielder Gaël Kakuta, as per Soccerway.

The count remained the same until late in the match when Turkish defender Ersan Gülüm doubled the lead with a goal from a brilliant pass from fellow foreign player Gervinho with ten minutes before full time.

Chongqing was able to score a consolation goal at the 85th when defender Liu Yu got past Samba Kings goalkeeper Yang Cheng off a cross from Brazilian forward Jael Ferreira, making it to 2-1.

Manager Chang Woe-ryong's boys went for the equalizer in stoppage time, but it was the visitors who found the insurance goal at the 91st with a strike from substitute midfielder Luo Senwen, this time assisted by defender Gao Zhunyi.

The win was the seventh for the season and the third straight for head coach Li Tie's side, which boosted them past Jiangsu Suning after the latter settled for a 1-1 draw with Hangzhou Greentown FC in the 11th round.

It also trimmed their gap with current league leaders and defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande to only five points in the overall standings as the Southern China Tigers also had a 1-1 tie with fellow powerhouse Shanghai SIPG also last Sunday, Ten Sport reported.

As for Chongqing, it was the team's tenth consecutive winless performance which dropped them to the 12th spot of the 16-team China top flight table.

Lifan is currently tied with the Green Giants, Shandong Luneng, and Changchun Yatai having nine points each, but they have the superior goal difference than the other three clubs, letting them escape the bottom two relegation area.