Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC overcame the absence of starting center-forward Demba Ba to nip the newly-improved Shandong Luneng Taishan FC squad, 1-0, in their round 20 match in the ongoing 2016 Chinese Super League season. The game was held at the latter's Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium on Sunday.

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Team captain Giovanni Moreno scored the winning goal of the contest at the 32nd minute for Shenhua as he slotted in a long range shot from the top of the box off an assist from Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin, as per Soccerway.

Head coach Gregorio Manzano made key adjustments before the match, particularly in the team's frontline, as he put Moreno at the no. 10 spot behind starting striker Obafemi Martins, who took the place of Ba.

The Senegalese goalscoring machine is out for the rest of the season following a gruesome leg injury suffered during the team's derby with Shanghai SIPG two games ago. Ba had already undergone a successful operation to repair the leg fracture last Friday and will be on his way to recovery. He is expected to return to the pitch in time for the start of the 2017 season barring any complications, Shanghai Daily reported.

Vice-captain Wang Yun played behind Martins during their previous 1-2 loss to Shijiazhuang Ever Bright and coach Manzano proved to have made the right call to field in Moreno this time around.

With the win, the Flower of Shanghai remained at the fifth spot of the current league table, only two points behind third and fourth-running teams Shanghai SIPG and Hebei China Fortune, who are tied on points with the former having a superior goal difference to temporarily capture third place.

Only the top three teams at the end of the season will qualify in the AFC Champions League competitions next term.

Meanwhile, Shandong's loss snapped their four-game undefeated streak. It was also their first defeat since Italian striker Graziano Pellè arrived.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League news, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC, Shandong Luneng Taishan FC