The Chinese National Soccer League (CSL) title race ended on Sunday with no clear winner, as the Shanghai Shenhua and Guangzhou Evergrande failed to secure their respective top spot in the standings.
Shanghai Shenhua were crowned champions after defeating Guangzhou Evergrande 1-0 at home, but it was not enough for them to secure the league title outright. Instead, Guangzhou Evergrande finished second and will have to settle for runners-up honors, while Shenzhen FC and Tianjin Teda also missed out on the title by just one point each.
The CSL has been dominated by two teams - Shanghai Shenhua and Guangzhou Evergrande - for many years now, with both clubs having won the league a record six times between them. However, this season saw a new face emerge in the form of Beijing Guoan, who secured their first-ever championship win by defeating Shandong Luneng 2-1 away from home.
Despite the disappointment for Shanghai Shenhua and Guangzhou Evergrande, there is still plenty of football left to play for in the CSL. The playoffs will be played next month, where the top four teams in the table will battle it out for the remaining spots in the competition. It promises to be an exciting end to the season, with all eyes on the final few matches to see which team comes out on top.
Overall, it was another disappointing season for the CSL, with no clear winner emerging from the title race. However, there is still plenty of football left to play for, and fans can look forward to a thrilling playoff series that could see some surprises along the way.