Shanghai Port 0-0 Beijing Guoan, Muscat Clearly Disappointed: We Played Very Well, It Feels Like We Lost 2 Points

The lights at Pudong Football Stadium were still shining moments ago, but the 0-0 score on the board left all the Shanghai Port fans staring in disbelief.

At 19:35 on September 5, the 26th round of the 2026 Chinese Super League saw Shanghai Port host Beijing Guoan. Port started with five foreign players, but Guoan, who had only one foreign player in Ramos, held them to a 0-0 draw.

Before the match, everyone thought this would be a one-sided rout.

For Port, Leonardo, Anselmo, Jean Claude, Melendo and Vital were all placed into the starting lineup, while Wu Lei stayed on the bench. For Guoan, Conte, Davan, Spajic and Fabio were all absent, leaving only Guillermo Ramos as the foreign player on the squad list.

The statistics after the match were even more exaggerated than expected before kickoff:

Shots were 21-5, shots on target 6-2, possession 60%-40%, corners 14-1, shots inside the box 16-1, big chances 6-1, and crosses 43-6.

Port pressed Guoan for the full 90 minutes. But the scoreboard remained unchanged.

Port immediately pushed forward after the match began.

In the 26th minute, Anselmo crossed from the left, and Leonardo had a great chance in front of goal, but after adjusting his shot, it was blocked by a defender.

In the first minute of stoppage time in the first half, Leonardo tried a long-range effort from outside the box, and Hou Sen collected it safely.

Port continued wave after wave of attacks in the second half.

In the 58th minute, Anselmo set up Liu Zhurun, whose angled shot was saved by Hou Sen after he went to ground.

In the 69th minute, Leonardo escaped down the right and cut the ball back, but Li Shuai slipped while following up his shot, allowing Hou Sen to collect. Leonardo had actually created an open-goal opportunity, but the timing of the finish was off.

A minute later, Wu Lei came on to replace Leonardo. In the 77th minute, Yue Xin delivered a 45-degree cross, and Wu Lei's powerful shot was denied by Hou Sen.

In the 83rd minute, Yang Xi crossed, and Li Xinxiang headed from an unmarked position inside the box, but the angle was too central and Hou Sen gathered the ball.

In the 89th minute, Wu Lei took a free kick near the edge of the box. The ball deflected off the wall and went just wide of the goal line.

This was Port's 21st shot of the match.

The true star of the game was Guoan goalkeeper Hou Sen.

Hou Sen made five to six key saves throughout the match. From Liu Zhurun's tight-angle shot, Li Shuai's effort, Anselmo's strike, to Li Xinxiang's close-range header, he kept them all out. He was named the best player after the match without any controversy.

Guoan's lone foreign player Ramos was also outstanding, making nine clearances, four tackles, four interceptions and four successful aerial duels, building a wall in front of Guoan's penalty area.

At the other end, Yan Junling's 41st-minute save from Cao Yongjing's near-post header was equally important. Two goalkeepers, one 0-0 draw.

Some Port fans criticized the team on social media after the match, saying the defending champions had suffered embarrassment. Others praised Hou Sen, saying he single-handedly stopped the five-foreign-player attack and that the night belonged to Guoan.

At the press conference, Muscat's expression showed his disappointment.

"This match gave me mixed feelings. From the result, it feels like we lost two points, but the team's overall performance was quite excellent. From the beginning to the end, we performed well, and perhaps we were just lacking the final touch. We are still working on refining our style of play, and I am quite satisfied with the team's performance tonight."

Asked by Beijing media to comment on Hou Sen's performance, Muscat politely waved it aside: "I would rather talk about our own players, such as Yan Junling. Although he did not need to make many saves tonight, he played an important role in organizing attacks from the back. When the three center-backs were building attacks, he constantly provided support and was also an important part of starting our attacks."

Speaking about the integration of the two AFC Champions League new signings Grau and Campos, Muscat said: "For these two AFC Champions League newcomers, the situation is not easy. They lacked competitive matches before and could only maintain their fitness through training. But they have kept themselves in very good physical condition and are ready for the AFC Champions League."

This draw affected the rankings of the two teams differently.

The post-match standings showed that Port had 10 wins, 8 draws and 8 losses after 26 rounds, with 33 points and remained seventh. Guoan had 11 wins, 10 draws and 5 losses with 38 points, originally in second place. On the same night, Dalian Yingbo beat Qingdao Hainiu 2-1 at home to reach 40 points and move into second, pushing Guoan down to third.

Port's one point looked especially light at this crucial stage of the title race and AFC Champions League qualification battle.

The league will enter a month-long break. Port will next turn its attention to the AFC Champions League Elite, with its opening match scheduled for September 15 away against Thai side Ratchaburi.

Five foreign players started, 21 shots, six big chances, and the reward was a 0-0 draw. The scoreboard lights at Pudong Football Stadium went out, Port players walked toward the tunnel with their heads down, while Guoan players embraced each other.

After the match, some Port fans responded to Muscat's comment that the final touch was slightly lacking: with 60% possession and 21 shots, was the missing final touch the forwards' decision-making?

Others defended Leonardo, saying that as last season's Golden Boot bronze winner, he is simply going through a period of poor form this month, and everyone has such moments.

The fans are arguing fiercely. Which side are you on?

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