SIPG thrash sorry Shenhua 6-1 in Shanghai derby

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All eyes were on the Chinese Super League for one of its biggest matches on Saturday – a Shanghai derby between SIPG and Shenhua.

SIPG came into the contest sitting in second place in the table, with the visitors and their high-priced squad languishing in 12th and hoping to move up. But a strong performance from Hulk and Wu Lei just added misery to Shenhua's poor season, in the first game for new manager Wu Jingui after Gus Poyet quit the embattled club on Monday.

Despite both sides pushing hard, neither found the net in the first half. Hulk came closest with a blast that was tipped away by Shenhua's keeper.

Wu Lei scored a brace for Shanghai SIPG. /Photo via ESPNFC

The big Brazilian opened the scoring in the 56th minute, finding the corner of the net.

Two minutes later, Hulk threatened again when he drove deep into the box. His cross was lifted onto the cross bar by Bai Jiajun, but Wu Lei nodded in the rebound to make it 2-0 to SIPG. Just two minutes after that, Hulk set up Odil Ahmedov and the Uzbek scored SIPG's third goal.

Shenhua managed to get on the board through Carlos Tevez, who climbed off the bench and scored just his third Chinese league goal. The 33-year-old Argentine is among the highest-paid players in the world on a reported 850,000 US dollars a week, and went a small way to earning that money by pulling Shenhua back into the game.

Hulk rose to the occasion against Shanghai Shenhua on September 16, 2017. /Photo via ESPNFC

But in the 63rd minute Wu Lei restored SIPG's three-goal cushion when he turned in Oscar's pass for his 17th goal this season. Hulk also added a second in casual fashion to make it 5-1 to SIPG in the 75th minute.

Li Shenglong completed the scoring in the 82nd minute against a totally dispirited Shenhua defense, and SIPG won 6-1 to maintain their unbeaten run at home this season.

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