League leaders Shandong beat Xi'an behind closed doors

BEIJING, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Chinese Super League leaders Shandong Luneng's 2-0 win at Xi'an yesterday was played behind closed doors after fan violence during a match between the teams at the same venue two weeks ago, state media reported.

Xi'an fans injured the Shandong manager by throwing water bottles at his head and attacking the visitors' coach with bottles and rocks after their team's 3-1 defeat in a Chinese FA Cup semi-final on August 12.

As punishment, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) barred fans from Xi'an's 50,000-seater Coca Cola stadium for yesterday's match and police set up a perimeter blockade 100 metres away from the stadium.

It was the first spectator ban for a soccer match in China, state news agency Xinhua said.

Li Jinyu scored a record 22nd league goal of the season to help Shandong to their 10th win in a row to extend their lead at the top of the table to 18 points with six matches remaining. Second placed Beijing Guo'an have a game in hand.

A man detained by police after the violence at the Cup match has been banned from entering any stadiums for 12 months.

REUTERS PDS ND1554