HONG KONG : Defending champions Shandong Taishan returned to winning ways as Marouane Fellaini’s second half header earned Hao Wei’s side a 1-0 win over Guangzhou City in Haikou in the third round of matches in the Chinese Super League.
The former Manchester United midfielder nodded home Liu Binbin’s cross with 18 minutes remaining to ensure Shandong bounced back from last week’s loss to Henan Longmen and stay within three points of leaders Wuhan Yangtze.
Wuhan are now the only team with a perfect record in the competition after notching up a 1-0 victory over Guangzhou FC as the eight-time champions slipped a third straight loss.
Li Peng scored the only goal of the game eight minutes from time to condemn the former champions to a defeat that leaves them bottom of the 18-team standings.
Wuhan Three Towns and Shanghai Shenhua saw their winning starts to the season come to an end as the pair shared a 1-1 draw to sit two points off the summit while previously perfect Shenzhen FC lost their first game of the campaign.
Neboja Kosovic struck from outside the area a minute into stoppage time to earn Meizhou Hakka a 2-1 win over Lee Jang-soo’s side, who had gone into the game with back-to-back victories.
Shanghai Port recorded their first success of the campaign after goals from recent signing Zhang Linpeng and Cherif Ndiaye gave them a 2-0 win over Hebei FC.
China international defender Zhang, who joined Port in the close season after 11 years with Guangzhou FC, headed in the opener from Feng Jin’s cross four minutes into the game.
Feng was the provider again in the 80th minute when he squared the ball across the six yard box for Ndiaye to score his first goal for the club and seal the three points.
Henan Longmen moved up to third with a 3-1 win over Zhejiang FC with goals from Yang Shuai and Ma Xingyu in the final 12 minutes securing the points.
Mark Dabro netted from close range four minutes from time to earn Beijing Guoan a 1-0 victory over Tianjin Tigers while Changchun Yatai were held to a 1-1 tie by Dalian Pro and Cangzhou Might Lions and Chengdu Rongcheng shared a 0-0 draw.
Matches in the current rounds of the Chinese Super League are being played in biosecure hubs in Meizhou, Haikou and Dalian in an effort to limit travel due to the Chinese government’s ongoing attempts to suppress the COVID-19 pandemic.
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