Anderson Talisca and Paulinho make a point as Guangzhou Evergrande meet Shanghai SIPG in Chinese Super League face-off
Renato Augusto’s Beijing Guoan penalty miss means Tuesday’s rearranged matchday 13 fixture is now a must-win for hosts against seven-time title winners
Points win leagues. Not just grinding out a draw away to your title rivals, which is what Beijing Guoan thought they had done in Guangzhou on Friday night, sometimes it’s an actual point.
First played third. The champions against the league leaders. The two most fancied sides in the three horse title race.
With the scores level, Guangzhou Evergrande midfielder Paulinho pointed to the corner that he thought his Brazilian international teammate Renato Augusto would hit his 61st minute spot-kick.
Teammate Zeng Cheng flung himself in that direction and the Guoan man duly went the same way and the ball was palmed away to safety.
Credit to the keeper for the save as the work still needed doing but as moments that define titles go – and there is usually one iconic image – the man who returned in the summer may have got it.