Roaring out of the international break, the Chinese Super League retured to action with fervor on Friday night, as leaders Chengdu Rongcheng enjoyed an emphatic 5-1 victory over Qingdao West Coast in front of 41,352 enthusiastic fans at home in Sichuan Province.

The hosts asserted their dominance from the start, with Wellington Silva opening the scoring just seven minutes into the match. Egor Sorokin then doubled the advantage for Rongcheng, allowing the home side to head into halftime with a comfortable lead.

After the interval, Felipe Silva emerged as the star of the evening, showcasing his prowess with a late hat-trick. The Brazilian forward struck twice within three minutes, before completing his treble deep into stoppage time.

Qingdao's sole highlight came from Abdul-Aziz Yakubu, as the Ghanaian forward demonstrated resilience throughout the match. He was rewarded for his efforts with a stoppage-time goal, marking his first for the club since joining West Coast in February.

The game also coincided with Silva's 34th birthday, prompting the crowd to serenade him with a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday."

Chengdu will face a formidable challenge in their next match as they travel to the Chinese capital to take on Beijing Guoan.