View From Gongti: Beijing Guoan 1-1 Tianjin Teda

The Beijing-Tianjin derby is always a hotly contested match that the players and fans all get up for, last night was no different. Tickets were hard to score and security was tight, the largest crowd of the year at Gongti was in full voice, but Guoan could only manage another 1-1 draw, their third in a row.

Yu Dabao put the visitors up 1-0 at the 20 minute mark after his swerving shot took a weird bounce in front of Guoan keeper Yang Zhi. For the first time since April, Guoan had to play catch up. Even worse, Jamie Pacheco, the Guoan manager, was sent to the stands after a dispute with a Tianjin assistant. For flipping the bird, Pacheco may be suspended for up to a whopping 6 games.

Guoan got lucky at the end of the half when the referee called back another Yu goal due to a questionable Tianjin foul. The home side capitalized when substitute Roberto, who is likely on his way out, gave a parting gift to the Gongti crowd, scoring off a rebound from a Xu Liang free kick. Guoan almost got the winner off an extra time corner, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Guoan’s unbeaten streak is now at 10 matches as the Beijingers maintain hold of 2nd place, 5 points behind Guangzhou. Their next match is away at Shaanxi, before returning home for the "China derby" against Shanghai on July 6th.

Read Brandon's full match report at WildEastFootball.