CSL: Shanghai SIPG see title lead cut to two points

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Shanghai SIPG's Chinese Super League lead has been cut to two points after they were held to a goalless draw on Sunday night by Jiangsu Suning at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center, while second-placed Guangzhou Evergrande thrashed Beijing Renhe 6-1.

Suning enjoyed more of the ball during the opening stages but were largely kept at arm's length by SIPG. Vitor Periera's side lacked the energy they displayed last time out against Guizhou Hengfeng but almost took the lead midway through the first half.

Oscar's driven cross was met at the near post by Elkeson but he prodded his effort narrowly wide of the far post. And just before half-time SIPG appeared to break the deadlock when Lü Wenjun rose to head home a Wu Lei cross. However, the celebrations proved premature as the referee consulted the VAR, who deemed Wu to be offside, ruling out the goal.

Jiangsu Suning's Xie Pengfei (C) slides to block a ball during their league game with Shanghai SIPG at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center on Ocotber 21. /VCG Photo

Suning will argue that SIPG were lucky to escape a penalty in the first half after Teixeira's pull-back appeared to hit Wang Shenchao's arm in the SIPG central defender's own box, but the referee waved away the calls.

SIPG midfielder Odil Ahmedov was presented with a decent chance to win the game late on when he pounced on a loose ball and unleashed a vicious right-footed drive but Gu Chao made a stunning save to deny SIPG the chance to move four points clear of Evergrande.

The damage was compounded as Fabio Cannavaro's side strolled to a 6-1 win over Beijing Renhe. Zheng Long struck with a cool header less than five minutes into the game, a Rao Weihui own goal made it 2-0 inside 18 minutes and Yu Hanchao added a third before the hour mark.

Zheng doubled his tally when he curled home a superb free-kick while former Barcelona star Paulinho and Alan Carvalho also put their names on the scoresheet before Liu Jian grabbed a consolation goal for the visitors in stoppage time.

Jonathan Soriano (C) is a constant threat on the night as Beijing Guoan play out a 1-1 draw with Changchun Yatai on October 21. /VCG Photo

Elsewhere, Jonathan Soriano's last-minute penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw for Beijing Guoan against Changchun Yatai on Sunday afternoon.

Zhang Li looked to have secured a morale-boosting away victory for Yatai when the midfielder struck his first goal of the season two minutes before the interval, but a moment of madness from Wang Shouting gave Soriano the opportunity to level from the spot.

Soriano's goal may have at least lift the mood at the Workers' Stadium as the capital side suffered three defeats in their last four games, but the result still leaves Guoan two points adrift of the AFC Champions League qualification places with four games to play.

Shandong Luneng's Hao Junmin (L) battles the ball with Tianjin Teda's John Obi Mikel during their league action on October 20. /VCG Photo

Meanwhile, Shandong Luneng cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win over Tianjin Teda thanks to goals from Graziano Pelle and Roger Guedes. Relegation-threatened Guizhou Zhencheng boost survival hopes with a 3-0 victory against Dalian Yifang after fellow strugglers Chongqing Lifan were held to a 4-4 draw by Hebei CFFC.

Park Choong-kyun's first game on the Shanghai Shenhua bench ended in a 1-1 draw with Tianjin Quanjian, and Henan Jianye stunned Guangzhou R&F with a 2-0 home win.