Shenhua started brightly with Joao Teixeira seeing a lot of the ball in the middle of the pitch without being able to break down a disciplined Frontale defence.

Frontale improved as the first half progressed with Yasuto Wakizaka finding the back of the net in the 34th minute from a misplaced Fulangxisi Aidi clearance but Shenhua earned a reprieve after the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

The Japanese side had another opportunity in the 44th minute when So Kawahara chipped a pass for Marcinho at the back post but the Brazilian forward could not steer his shot on target with goalkeeper Bao Yaxiong closing down on him.

Shenhua forced Frontale custodian Louis Yamaguchi to make a big save in the seventh minute of first half added time to keep out Wu Xi’s attempt as the teams headed into the break on level terms.

Shenhua picked up from where they left off in the second half with Ibrahim Amadou firing a long distance shot straight at Yamaguchi in the 51st minute as the home side started to dominate the game.

Liu Chengyu who starred for China PR in the recently concluded AFC U20 Asian Cup™ China 2025, produced a diving header from a Wilson Manafa cross 12 minutes later but saw his attempt go agonisingly wide of the post.

Shenhua’s persistence paid off the 76th minute thanks to an own goal from Takai, who inadvertently pushed the ball into his own goal when trying to clear Manafa’s fiercely driven low cross to give the Chinese side a lead to defend when the sides meet again next week.