Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Al Gharafa 3rd with 44 points, Al Markhiya 11th with 18, 26 apart. Al Markhiya had been over-performing their table position on recent form: 2nd in the league over the last five rounds against 11th overall. Scoring rates set the scale: Al Markhiya 0.91 scored and 2.27 conceded per game, Al Gharafa 2.41 and 1.64, with the league averaging 1.83.
Al Gharafa carried a 6-game unbeaten run into this, having scored in 15 consecutive games. The last-five ledger: Al Markhiya 4/15, Al Gharafa 11/15.
Yuanshen Sports Centre Stadium in Shanghai, capacity 45,857, hosted the game. Half-time and full-time told different stories: it was 1-1 at the break, before 3 more goals closed it at 3-2.