Dragan Stojkovic plays down ‘pressure’ after Guangzhou R&F extend winless run against Hebei CFFC
Eran Zahavi nets eighth goal in nine games this season as sides share the spoils in Chinese Super League on Friday
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Coach Dragan Stojkovic shrugged off suggestions Guangzhou R&F are under pressure after extending their winless run to three games with a 1-1 draw at home to Hebei CFFC on Friday.
Israel striker Eran Zahavi scored his eighth goal in nine matches this season, via a deft close-range flick with three minutes remaining at Yuexiushan Stadium, after Ezequiel Lavezzi had opened the scoring for the visitors a minute earlier.
R&F, who ended a run of back-to-back defeats, had lifted themselves into position as early Chinese Super League pacesetters after starting the season with five wins and an unbeaten record after six games, but Stojkovic’s side have slipped to third in the table ahead of Sunday’s fixtures.
“It was a very tough game and it was quite acceptable to draw with them. We took lessons from the previous games and we were more aggressive today,” said Stojkovic.
“I don’t feel [any pressure]. I will only feel the pressure if we don’t play well, but as you can see, today my team played very well, so I won’t feel any pressure.
Watch: Guangzhou R&F 1 Hebei CFFC 1 highlights
“We made more than 500 passes in this game and our possession of the ball was 10 per cent more than our opponents. In my own opinion, I think we deserved the win more than they did.”
Shandong Luneng can leapfrog R&F with at least a point against winless basement side Jiangsu Suning on Sunday, while second-placed Shanghai SIPG travel to Tianjin Teda as leaders Guangzhou Evergrande take on Changchun Yatai.
