2018 Chinese FA Cup final

The 2018 Chinese FA Cup final was the final of the 2018 Chinese FA Cup, the 20th edition of the national football cup of China, the Chinese FA Cup. It was contested between Chinese Super League clubs Beijing Sinobo Guoan and Shandong Luneng Taishan.

The final was contested in two-legged home-and-away format with the away goals rule. The first leg was hosted by Beijing Sinobo Guoan in Beijing at the Workers' Stadium on 25 November 2018, while the second leg was hosted by Shandong Luneng Taishan in Jinan at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium on 30 November 2018.

In the first leg, Beijing Sinobo Guoan drew with Shandong Luneng Taishan 1–1 in front of 48,856 spectators, with a penalty scored each from Diego Tardelli for Shandong and Cédric Bakambu for Beijing. With 45,666 in attendance in the second leg, the match was level at 1–1 after goals from Beijing's Jonathan Viera and Shandong's Gil by half-time. In the second half, Beijing scored a crucial away goal through Zhang Xizhe. Although Diego Tardelli scored one late in the match, the full-time score stood at 2–2, and Beijing Sinobo Guoan won the final on away goals. Through this cup triumph, Beijing Sinobo Guoan qualified for the group stage of the 2019 AFC Champions League, as well as the 2019 Chinese FA Super Cup.

The first leg was played at the Workers' Stadium, the traditional home ground of Beijing Sinobo Guoan.^[1] In the second leg, the match was played at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Jinan, Shandong, the traditional home ground of Shandong Luneng Taishan.^[2]

On 25 April, Beijing Sinobo Guoan began its Chinese FA Cup run with a 1–0 away victory over China League One side Shanghai Shenxin in the fourth round. In the 87th minute, forward Jonathan Soriano scored the only goal in the match to take Guoan through to the next round.^[3] In the fifth round, Beijing Sinobo Guoan hosted Chinese Super League outfit Tianjin TEDA on 2 May. Jonathan Soriano scored in the 68th minute in an eventual 1–0 win.^[4]

In the quarter-finals, Beijing Sinobo Guoan faced Shanghai SIPG in a two-legged tie. In the first leg on 9 June, Beijing Sinobo Guoan beat Shanghai SIPG 2–1 at home. Jonathan Viera opened the scoring for Beijing, and Hulk equalised for Shanghai SIPG in the 34th minute. In the 63rd minute, it took a penalty from Jonathan Soriano to retake the lead for Beijing Sinobo Guoan.^[5] With the disadvantage going into the second leg played on 25 July, Yu Hai and Cai Huikang scored two first-half goals to go ahead on aggregate for Shanghai SIPG. However, in the fourth minute of second-half added time, Jonathan Viera scored from a direct free-kick on the edge of the penalty area to take the match into extra-time. With extra-time goalless, the match went into a penalty shoot-out. Renato Augusto scored the winning penalty to take Beijing Sinobo Guoan into the semi-finals.^[6]

In the semi-finals, Beijing Sinobo Guoan played against Guangzhou R&F over two legs. On 22 August, Beijing enjoyed a 5–1 thrashing of Guangzhou R&F at home in the first leg. Cédric Bakambu scored first for Beijing, while Lu Lin equalised for Guangzhou R&F before half-time. In the second half, two goals for Beijing from Jonathan Viera, a goal from Zhang Xizhe, and a second goal from Cédric Bakambu put the game to bed.^[7] In the second leg on 26 September, a goal from Cédric Bakambu and two late goals from substitute Wei Shihao secured a 3–0 result for Beijing Sinobo Guoan away from home to progress into the final.^[8]

On 25 April, Shandong Luneng Taishan entered the competition to visit China League Two side Yanbian Beiguo in the fourth round. A hat-trick from Cheng Yuan, two goals from Li Songyi, and a goal from Qi Tianyu sealed a 6–0 away victory for Shandong Luneng.^[9] On 2 May, Shandong Luneng Taishan beat Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune 3–2 away from home. Gil scored the opener for Shandong, and while a goal each from Javier Mascherano and Hernanes briefly put Hebei China Fortune in front, a late brace from Papiss Cissé sealed Shandong's place in the quarter-finals.^[10]

Shandong Luneng Taishan lined up against Chinese Super League club Guizhou Hengfeng in the quarter-finals. In the away first leg, Shandong Luneng Taishan held a goalless 0–0 draw for ninety minutes on 8 July.^[11] At home in the second leg on 25 July, a goal each from Liu Junshuai, Gil, and Zhang Chi for Shandong secured a 3–0 victory to send the club into the semi-finals.^[12]

On 21 August, Shandong Luneng Taishan took on Dalian Yifang in the first leg away from home. A 14th-minute goal from Jin Jingdao gave Shandong Luneng an advantage going into the second leg.^[13] In the home second leg on 25 September, three second-half goals for Shandong from Liu Yang, Jin Jingdao, and Diego Tardelli, respectively, booked Shandong's place in the final.^[14]