Chinese Super League: Marouane Fellaini hat-trick and historic day for Hong Kong

Belgian star Marouane Fellaini scored an eight minute hat-trick of headers for Shandong Luneng as 10 more teams got their Chinese Super League season under way on Sunday.

The former Manchester United midfielder netted three times between the 79th and 86th minutes to swing the game from Dalian Pro, who had gone 1-0 up through Salomon Rondon.

Sweden’s Marcus Danielson scored a debut consolation for Dalian in injury time to make the final score 3-2. Dalian are the only team playing in their home city in the CSL’s two-group 2020 season being played out there and Suzhou.

Elsewhere, history was made in the meeting between Guangzhou R&F and Shenzhen where two Hong Kong Chinese players started.

Tan Chun-lok lined up for R&F while Dai Wa-tsun, better known as Tsun Dai, newly arrived in Shenzhen from Wolves in the English Premier League, was his opposite number.

Both players featured deep into Shenzhen’s 3-1 win, with Tsun replaced after 74 minutes and Tan on 78. The last Hong Kong Chinese player to start in the CSL was Ng Wai-chiu in 2010. Shenzhen’s goals came from a Li Songyi own goal, Harold Preciado and Gao Lin, the China striker’s first since moving from Guangzhou Evergrande.

The match also saw Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and Roberto Donadoni line-up in the dugouts, with the Dutchman aggrieved at the two penalties his side conceded that Preciado and Gao scored.

Newcomers Shijiazhuang Ever Bright held Hebei China Fortune to a 2-2 draw in a game that saw Hebei’s Ding Haifeng sent off after 26 minutes. Wang Peng put the new boys ahead before Hebei come back through Marcao and Dong Xuesheng.

Ricardo Goulart assisted the first and it was a rebound from his free kick that led to the second. Matheus equalised for Afshin Ghotbi’s side, with the Iranian-American becoming the first US player or manager in the CSL.

Beijing Guoan were down to 10 players after 25 minutes when Yan Fang was sent off but they rallied to beat Chongqing Lifan 2-1. Li Lei and Piao Cheng put the Beijing side two goals up before a Yu Dabao own goal created a frantic last 10 minutes.

The day’s other game was a seven-goal thriller between Henan Jianye and Jiangsu Suning that ended 4-3 to the Nanjing-based side.

Henrique Dourado put Henan 1-0 up after just six minutes and that remained the score until half-time before the game exploded into life. Dourado scored again before goals from Xie Pengfei, an Eder penalty, Ivan Santini and Wu Xi put Jiangsu 4-2 up in the 79th minute. Ke Zhao scored a minute after Wu to end the scoring.

The 2018 champions Shanghai SIPG play Tianjin Teda in Suzhou on Monday night to conclude the first round of the 2020 season. The second round begins on Thursday.