Chongqing Lifan coach Jordi Cruyff said he was satisfied with his side’s 1-1 draw against Guangzhou R&F on Sunday, but the point earned did little to alleviate the club’s Chinese Super League (CSL) relegation fears.
Huang Zhengyu’s own goal just before the hour gave struggling Chongqing the lead only for R&F striker Xiao Zhi to level 10 minutes later with a header.
“To be honest, we’re satisfied with a point,” Cruyff, who took over as head coach in August, said.
“We were not at our best. We gave…

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A Wellington Phoenix bid to sign veteran Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins to a marquee A-League contract has failed.
Former Inter Milan and Newcastle United star Martins will make it a priority to recover from a long-term leg injury while still on the books of Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.
The Australian intermediary between Shenhua and Phoenix, agent Ante Alilovic, told SBS the 33-year-old wasn’t tempted by the offer.
“I don’t think the A-League is a serious option in terms of what he can earn…

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Yang Liyu’s added-time goal kept Guangzhou Evergrande within touching distance of leaders Beijing Guoan as they claimed a 2-1 win over Shanghai Shenhua on Sunday.
Former Inter Milan midfielder Fredy Guarin put Shenhua in front from the penalty spot eight minutes after half-time before China international Gao Lin levelled five minutes later.
The match at a rain-lashed Tianhe Stadium looked destined to end with the points shared, only for Yang to head home Zhang Linpeng’s centre a minute into added…

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Odion Ighalo’s 89th-minute goal for Changchun Yatai denied Chris Coleman’s Hebei China Fortune a second straight Chinese Super League win on Sunday as they were held to a 2-2 draw.
Coleman’s side were looking for their third win in four games and twice took the lead before former Watford striker Ighalo’s late strike.
“I’m sorry about this result,” said former Wales manager Coleman. “It felt good when we got to 2-1 but unfortunately we lost a goal in the final stages. It was a stupid mistake. Getting…

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Serbia international midfielder Nemanja Gudelj has left Guangzhou Evergrande to join Portugal’s Sporting on a one-year loan, the Chinese Super League champions announced on Thursday.
Gudelj signed for Guangzhou in January from Tianjin Teda, but he was set aside following the re-signing of Paulinho from Barcelona and the arrival of Anderson Talisca from Benfica on loan.
The 26-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam midfielder played just 11 times in the Chinese Super League for Guangzhou as the club struggled…

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ESPN FC’s Julien Laurens and Gab Marcotti explain why Mario Balotelli’s hopes of returning to Serie A this summer were dashed.

Mario Balotelli may want out at Nice, but according to ESPN FC’s Julien Laurens, clubs aren’t lining up to rescue the temperamental Italian striker.
Mario Balotelli turned down a lucrative offer from the Chinese Super League to stay at Nice, club president Jean-Pierre Rivere has said.
Nice announced earlier this week that Balotelli would remain at the club for a third successive season after having been expected to leave this summer.
Coach Patrick Vieira had urged the club to sell Balotelli, with Nice’s local rivals Marseille seeing a deal for him fall through, and Rivere told RMC Balotelli also rejected a move to China.
“We have a player who…

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Gab Marcotti explains Paulinho’s move back to Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande and wonders if Barcelona has another big move coming soon.
Paulinho celebrated his 100th game in the Chinese Super League on Sunday with two goals as Guangzhou Evergrande moved to within three points of the summit with a 5-0 win over Tianjin Quanjian.
The Brazil midfielder, who rejoined Guangzhou in July after a season with Barcelona, gave them the lead after 15 minutes and added their third goal in the 57th after Ricardo Goulart had doubled the lead.
Anderson Talisca added two more in the final 16 minutes as Quanjian made it five league games without a…

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