Angry Shanghai Shenhua fans send abuse to star player online after missing out on title
A draw in the penultimate fixture gave rivals Shanghai Port the advantage, one they duly took on the final day
Angry fans of Shanghai Shenhua have sent a torrent of online abuse at their side’s star players after the team missed out on the Chinese Super League title to arch-rivals Shanghai Port on the final day of the campaign on Saturday.
While both Shanghai sides won their final fixtures of the season, it was a 2-2 with relegation strugglers Shenzhen Peng City in the penultimate match that handed the title initiative to their rivals – Port won out by one point.
Cephas Malele, whose 16 goals was only one fewer than the total of his side’s leading marksman, Andre Luis, was accused of missing several chances to put his side ahead during the draw with Shenzhen.
The visitors had taken a 2-1 lead through Hong Kong international Matt Orr before Malele eventually equalised in stoppage time.
Despite an impressive campaign, Malele scored only once in the six-match title run-in, leading several supporters to make him their scapegoat and forcing the Angola-born forward to close down his social media.
Fans then flocked to the page of agent Angela Rullo and, under an old post of a picture of her alongside Malele, left a flurry of abusive messages.
