Shenhua missed the opportunity to reduce the gap between them and the leaders in the CSL title race as they were defeated by Beijing Guoan at the Beidu Stadium on Sunday.

The match was a tense affair, with both teams putting up a strong fight against each other. However, it was Beijing Guoan who emerged victorious, winning 1-0. The goal came from a well-placed header by midfielder Zhang Chengbo in the second half, which proved to be enough for the visitors to secure their victory.

For Shenhua, the defeat was a setback in their pursuit of the title. They had been in fine form recently, but their recent run of form seemed to have come to an end with this loss. With only five points separating them from the leaders, Shenhua will need to pick themselves up quickly if they want to keep their hopes alive.

Despite the loss, Shenhua's coach, Zou Jinhong, remained positive about his team's chances. "We played a good game today, but we just couldn't get the result that we wanted," he said. "I'm disappointed, but I believe we can still catch up."

Beijing Guoan's manager, Wang Wei, also praised Shenhua's performance. "They played well today, and we're happy with our win," he said. "But we know that we still have work to do to maintain our lead in the title race."

Overall, it was a disappointing day for both teams, but it is clear that the CSL title race remains wide open with many more games to go. Both Shenhua and Beijing Guoan will need to focus on improving their performances if they want to stay in contention for the title.