Chinese Super League: Guangzhou Evergrande reclaim title as Beijing Guoan fall short on final day
- Evergrande win back the title they ceded to Shanghai SIPG last season
- Fabio Cannavaro’s side make it eight titles out of nine in CSL
Evergrande sealed their eighth title in nine seasons courtesy of a 3-0 win against struggling Shanghai Shenhua.
The championship went right down to the wire, but Beijing Guoan were the only side who could wrestle the 2019 title away from Evergrande, who led the league by two points going into the final round. Guoan sneaked past Shandong Luneng 3-2 with a last-minute winner, but it wasn’t enough for the capital side to overturn the leaders.
Guoan won six of their last eight league matches as they chased down Evergrande following a mid-season loss of form.
Shenzhen FC’s disastrous campaign in the top flight ended with a thumping 6-0 defeat away at last year’s champions, Shanghai SIPG, who cemented third place and a spot in the qualifying round of next year’s AFC Champions League. Former West Ham United forward Marko Arnautovic chipped in with four goals for SIPG.