Shanghai, June 15, 2024 – In a thrilling match against Guangzhou FC, Argentine striker Javier Moreno shattered multiple records, leading Shanghai Shenhua to a commanding victory. With a hat-trick and two assists, Moreno etched his name into the club's history books.
The match began with Guangzhou FC pressing high, but Shenhua quickly took control. Moreno opened the scoring in the 16th minute, converting a penalty after a clumsy challenge inside the box. It was his 15th goal of the season, breaking the club's single-season record previously held by Damien Duff.
In the 32nd minute, Moreno orchestrated a perfect counter-attack. He slipped the ball through to Wang Dalei, who slid home past the onrushing goalkeeper. "I knew Wang was making that run," Moreno said post-match. "Our understanding on the pitch is getting better every game."
Guangzhou reduced the deficit just before half-time, but Shenhua responded immediately at the start of the second half. Moreno received the ball 40 yards from goal and curled a stunning shot into the top corner. The stadium erupted as he raised his jersey number to celebrate.
The record-breaking performance continued in the 68th minute when Moreno set up Brazilian forward Wellington Rumberg for a simple tap-in. Just minutes later, Moreno completed his brace, finishing a slick one-two with substitute Jizhou Zhang.
Coach Veljko Paunović praised Moreno's all-round performance: "He's not only scoring goals but creating opportunities for others. This level of consistency is what we need to challenge for the league title." With this win, Shanghai Shenhua climbed to second place, just two points behind leaders Beijing FC.