Shanghai Shenhua were edged out 3-4 on penalties by Zenit Saint Petersburg in the 2026 Sino-Russian International Football Invitational on the evening of September 27. The commemorative match, marking 77 years of diplomatic relations, ended 0-0 after regular time, with two Shenhua players missing their spot-kicks.
Despite the loss, Shenhua displayed a positive performance. They created more threatening chances than their opponents in the first half. Goalkeeper Ma Zhen was a standout, making several key saves and being named the match's best player afterwards.
The more significant event occurred before kick-off. Shanghai Shenhua FC and FC Zenit Saint Petersburg signed a memorandum of cooperation covering areas such as club operations, youth development, and football culture promotion. This lays new groundwork for future football exchanges between China and Russia. Zenit manager Sergei Semak said after the match, "This was a high-quality game that went beyond a friendly." He added that the penalty shootout scoreline was somewhat "unexpected".
The clubs share historical ties. In 1955, Leningrad Zenit became the first Soviet football team to visit China, playing 11 friendly matches. In the early years of Chinese professional football, Shanghai Shenhua were also among the first clubs to sign Russian players, and former Shenhua manager Leonid Slutsky once led the Russian national team.
Following this result, Shenhua's form in their last five competitive matches reads two wins, one draw, and two losses. The team now turns its focus back to the domestic league, preparing for a home fixture against Yunnan Yukun on October 10.
