CSL Wrap: Luneng end poor run, Evergrande remain unbeaten

Shandong Luneng ended their poor run in the Chinese Super League but still trail runaway leaders Guangzhou Evergrande.

Luneng had failed to win in their previous five league matches but secured a priceless 3-2 victory away to relegation-threatened Changchun Yatai at the Development Area Stadium on Sunday.

Brazilian Gilberto Macena scored his first goal of the first season to give the visitors the lead in the sixth minute but Zhang Wenzhao levelled the game.

Two goals in nine minutes from Roda Antar established a 3-1 lead, but Czech forward Jan Rezek pulled one back to make it a nervous final 20 minutes for Luneng.

They held their nerve to pick up maximum points but they still trail Evergrande by 13 points.

The leaders’ unbeaten run was stretched to 17 matches as they travelled to the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center to beat Jiangsu Sainty 2-1.

Elkeson notched his 17th goal of the campaign in the first half as the Brazilian extended his lead the top of the goalscorers chart.

But they were pegged back with 30 minutes of normal time remaining through Sun Ke’s first of the campaign.

Evergrande may have feared the resurgence from the home team would spur them on to victory, but Gao Lin popped up in the 77th minute to make it 15 wins from 17 matches in the league.

Bottom side Wuhan Zall failed to build on their 2-1 success over Jiangsu Sainty last time out as they were soundly beaten 3-1 away to Beijing Guoan at the Workers Stadium.

It could have been a different story for the away side had they built on Milos Stojanovic’s second minute opener.

But with just quarter of an hour gone the scores were locked at 1-1 as Ecuador attacker Joffre Guerron found the equaliser. They went ahead on the stroke of half-time as Frederic Kanoute scored his seventh of the season from the penalty spot.

Wuhan’s hopes of taking a point were ended just five minutes from time as Zhang Xiaobin put the match beyond reach.

Beijing Guoan move up to third and occupy the final AFC Champions League spot.

Tianjin Teda made the most of Wuhan and Changchun Yatai’s losses, as they earned a vital 3-1 over Liaoning Whowin at the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium.

Carmelo Valencia and Andrezinho gave the home side a two goal cushion, before Ni Yusong ensured a tense finish.

But Valencia’s second goal of the game in the 77th minute ensured the home fans could breathe easily.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Guizhou Renhe suffered a 3-0 drubbing to Shanghai SIPG, while on Saturday Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Guangzhou R&F comfortably overcame Hangzhou 4-1.

Also on Saturday, Dalian Aerbin and Qingdao Jonoon played out an entertaining 3-3 draw and Shaghai Shenhua defeated local rivals Shanghai Shenxin 2-0.