Shenhua comes back with a point

Shanghai Daily, April 8, 2013

With its three key foreign imports continuing to sit out of matches, Shanghai Shenhua managed to hold Hangzhou Greentown 0-0 in an away game last night and come back with a point.

The draw was good enough for Shenhua to move a spot up in the Chinese Super League table to 14 in the 16-team league. Shenhua started the season with six minus points for fixing a match in 2003.

Shenhua's best chance came in the 32nd minute when forward Firas Khatib beat the offside trap after receiving a pass from Cao Yunding. But the Syrian chose to dribble past the goalkeeper and was unable to find the net.

The second half was lackluster with neither side managing to create any chances.

"I'm very satisfied with the performance of my players. As I said last time, I have 27 players and they can play when I need them," said Shenhua's coach Sergio Batista after the game. "Although it is unfortunate that we were unable to play some players, I believe the club will solve the problem soon and the players will return."

The Argentine coach said Shenhua would have been sitting higher up in the table but for the negative points.

"We always want three points - home and away. The team was in good shape today and the draw is a good result for us," Batista said.

Meanwhile, the ongoing salary dispute continued without any progress.

Besides the three South American players - Moreno, Schiavi and Toranzo - Shenhua coach Batista also said that he had not been paid for months as well.

"I haven't been paid for several months, but as the coach of the team, I have to stick here," Batista told reporters before the match. "I hope every player here can keep up their spirit and play well."

Batista hoped the problem would be resolved so that he could field the players in the key game against Shandong Luneng next week.

"I'm waiting for the club to solve the problem so that the players can play and I know that the club is working on it," he added.

"If we settle things by next week, we'll be better prepared for the Shandong game. For the fans and for the club, I hope the problem is solved next week."

Besides owing salaries to the players and the coach, Shenhua also has to pay a fine of 1 million yuan to the Chinese Football Association for manipulating the outcome of a match in 2003.

Elsewhere, Shanghai East Asia enjoyed its first win in CSL yesterday after beating Changchun Yatai 2-0 at home.

The city's third team in the league, Shanghai Shenxin, tied 1-1 with Liaoning Whowin on Saturday. East Asia climbed to seventh while Shenxin stayed in the 11th place.