Abreu's hat-trick helps Beijing Guoan stay on top of table at midpoint of CSL season

Beijing Guoan continued to assert their dominance with a 4-0 victory over Meizhou Hakka on the road in the Chinese Super League on Wednesday.

Fabio Abreu was the headline act, netting a hat-trick that not only snapped his five-match goalless drought across all competitions, but also helped Beijing stay on top of the standings at the season's halfway mark. Guoan's unbeaten streak is now 23 matches dating back to last season.

The breakthrough came in the 21st minute, as Guga carved his way down the right flank before delivering a deft cut-back, allowing Abreu an untroubled finish at close range. Abreu struck again just before halftime, this time converting a low shot following a clever header flick-on from Uros Spajic to double the Capital Club's advantage.

The second half featured a swift injection of energy as Fang Hao came off the bench, and within ten minutes he capitalized on a precise pass from Cao Yongjing to make it 3-0. The substitute's celebration was as heartfelt as it was pointed – he made a beeline for the distant traveling Beijing supporters to share the moment with them. Rumors have been swirling that Fang could soon be loaned to Changchun Yatai, where former Guoan coach Ricardo Soares now patrols the sideline.

Abreu completed his treble in the 69th minute, calmly slotting home after a perfectly weighted through ball from Zhang Yuan found him in the box. The Angolan striker now leads the CSL scoring chart with 11 goals.

The final whistle confirmed a 4-0 rout that marked Beijing's 400th victory in the CSL, a milestone befitting a side in scintillating form, and with eyes firmly set on the full-season prize.

In other action, Shanghai Shenhua beat Tianjin Jinmen Tiger 3-0 to make sure Guoan only top the table on goal difference. The first came in the 42nd minute, as a defensive blunder inside Tianjin's box gifted Shinichi Chan a chance to compose himself and slot home with ease.

As the first half edged into stoppage time, Shenhua doubled their lead in style. Gao Tianyi swung in a teasing free-kick, which Jiang Shenglong deftly redirected through the legs of Tianjin goalkeeper Yan Bingliang.

The second half unfolded cautiously until stoppage time, when a desperate Tianjin side pushed forward while leaving their backline vulnerable. Andre Luis capitalized on the ensuing chaos, adding a third goal to seal the emphatic victory for Shenhua.