By Michael Church
(Reuters) – Talking points from the week in Asian football:
PORT’S LEAD IN CHINA TRIMMED AFTER BEING HELD BY DALIAN
Shanghai Port saw their lead in the Chinese Super League reduced to three points on Saturday after they were held 1-1 by Dalian Pro. Dalian’s Yan Xiangchuang and Port’s Li Shenglong both scored in added time at the end of the first half.
Shanghai Shenhua closed the gap on the leaders with a 1-0 win over Zhejiang FC courtesy of a 13th minute goal from Yu Hanchao.
Third-placed Chengdu Rongcheng had gone through their opening 13 games of the season unbeaten but lost their second in a row with a 3-1 defeat by Meizhou Hakka.
KOBE NARROW GAP ON LEADERS MARINOS IN JAPAN
Vissel Kobe closed the gap on leaders Yokohama F Marinos to three points with a 1-0 win over Albirex Niigata while the table-toppers were held 2-2 by Nagoya Grampus.
Yuya Osako was on target for the 13th time this season as his 15th minute goal earned Kobe the points at Big Swan Stadium.
Kobe trail Marinos by three points but have a game in hand.
Kensuke Nagai opened the scoring for Nagoya before Elber and Joel Fujita replied before halftime. Kasper Junker netted two minutes into the second half to level the scores.
ULSAN BEAT SECOND-PLACED POHANG TO EXTEND LEAD IN KOREA
Ulsan Hyundai’s march towards the South Korean title continued on Saturday as they increased their advantage to 16 points with a 1-0 win over second-placed Pohang Steelers.
Joo Min-kyu scored the only goal of the game from close range in the 24th minute to move Ulsan onto 53 points from 21 games.
Third-placed FC Seoul slipped to a 2-1 loss to Jeonbuk Motors, who recently appointed Dan Petrescu to take over as head coach. Nine-time champions Jeonbuk climbed to fourth, level on 33 points with Seoul.
KOREANS CALL UP US-BORN TEENAGER PHAIR FOR WORLD CUP SQUAD
South Korea coach Colin Bell said it was his duty to protect 16-year-old Casey Phair from the glare of publicity after including the United States-born striker in his Women’s World Cup squad.
Phair, who has an American father and South Korean mother, made the cut for the finals when the squad was announced on Wednesday, becoming the first player of mixed heritage to be selected for a Korean World Cup squad.
“I know as the first mixed race player for Korea, men and women, it’s a highlight, it’s something new,” Bell said at a press conference in Seoul.
“But as far as I’m concerned she’s still a kid and it’s my duty to protect her so she can blossom and really fulfil her potential.
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Peter Rutherford)
