Soccer-Shanghai SIPG, Guangzhou Evergrande secure easy wins in CSL

Shanghai SIPG extended their unbeaten start to the 2020 Chinese Super League (CSL) campaign with a 4-1 win over Tianjin Teda while defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande won by the same scoreline in the eighth round of matches.

Shanghai SIPG extended their unbeaten start to the 2020 Chinese Super League (CSL) campaign with a 4-1 win over Tianjin Teda while defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande won by the same scoreline in the eighth round of matches. Odil Akhmedov opened the scoring for Shanghai SIPG in the first half of Monday's game before Brazilian Hulk doubled their lead. Marko Arnautovic added another before Oscar struck from the penalty spot.

Shanghai SIPG have won six of their eight matches and top Group B with 20 points, six clear of Beijing Guoan, who play Chongqing Lifan later on Tuesday. Guangzhou Evergrande also enjoyed a comfortable victory as strikes from Anderson Talisca, Fernandinho, Elkeson and an own goal by Zhu Chenjie helped Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro's side thump Shanghai Shenhua 4-1.

Jiangsu Suning defeated Henan Jianye 5-2 with Croatian Ivan Santini claiming his first CSL hat-trick, including a bizarre third where he stole the ball from under the goalkeeper's feet and slotted into an empty net. Former Everton and Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini's Shandong Luneng missed the chance to go level with Guangzhou Evergrande on 19 points atop Group A after falling to a 1-0 loss against Dalian Pro, who are coached by Rafa Benitez.

Chinese midfielder Lin Liangming's second-half strike gave Benitez his first victory of a tough season and lifted them off the bottom of Group A, though only on goal difference. Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Moussa Dembele was shown a straight red card for appearing to kick a Shenzhen FC player in the dying seconds of Guangzhou R&F's 2-0 defeat.

Shijiazhuang Everbright ended a run of three games without a win as they cruised past Hebei CFFC 3-1, a game in which Hebei goalscorer Ren Hang was sent off late on. Qingdao Huanghai face Wuhan Zall later on Tuesday.