Sports
Ighalo’s club relegated in China, Mikel escapes with Tianjin
Striker Odion Ighalo ’ s Chinese Super League club , Changchun Yatai , have dropped to the second division after they lost 2 -0 to Dalian Yifang at the Dalian Sports Center Stadium in Sunday ’ s final league game .
Four teams were battling to avoid joining already relegated GuizhouZhicheng in dropping into China League One on a thrilling finale to the CSL campaign .
Tianjin Teda , Chongqing Lifan , Changchun Yatai and Dalian were all locked on 32 points going into the last game of the season .
Dalian, coached by former Real Madrid player and manager Bernd Schuster , occupied the last relegation place ahead of kick -off because of their inferior goal difference .
But , in front of their fans , they had their fate in their own hands because they faced Changchun .
Colombian striker Duvier Riascos scored with a header midway through the first half for the hosts , putting them within sight of safety . Belgium international Yannick Carrasco then added a fine individual goal to help save Dalian from relegation on a nail- biting final day in the Chinese Super League.
Carrasco , who went to China at the start of the season for a reported 30 million euros from Atletico Madrid , struck in the 64 th minute .
The 25 – year – old winger evaded two weak challenges on the left before darting into the box and lashing the ball low into the far corner . Defeat condemned Changchun , CSL champions in 2007 , to the drop and Carrasco fell to his knees at the final whistle in relief.
Changchun Yatai finished with 32 points from 30 games . Ighalo , who missed the game against Dalian Yifang through a hamstring injury , netted 21 goals for his team this season to finish as the second top scorer in the CSL .
Mikel Obi’ s club Tianjin Teda survived the drop despite losing 5 – 1 away to Guangzhou Evergrande at the Tianhe Stadium.
They finished on 32 points but enjoyed a better head – to – head against Changchun Yatai .
Shanghai SIPG won the 2017 / 18 CSL title for the first time ever.
Obafemi Martins ’ Shanghai Shenhua finished seventh in the CSL standing with 38 points from 30 matches .
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