Five straight defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC routed plummeting contenders Hebei China Fortune FC, 3-0, in their 2016 Chinese Super League season round 24 match last Saturday at the Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium.

Popular local midfielder Huang Bowen opened the scoring at the 19th minute of the match for the visitors with a powerful right-footed shot off an assist from vice-captain and defender Feng Xiaoting, via Soccerway.

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Brazilian import Alan Carvalho then doubled the lead in the first half stoppage time to give the Southern China Tigers a two-point lead at the break.

Alan's compatriot, attacking midfielder Ricardo Goulart sealed the game seven minutes into the second half with a strong strike from a brilliant pass by resident striker Gao Lin.

The Samba Kings were not able to respond with any goals despite the presence of imports Gael Kakuta, Stephane M'Bia, and Aloisio, handing new head coach Manuel Pellegrini a lackluster debut with Hebei.

Pellegrini's two other foreign players, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Gervinho, were unavailable during the match with the Argentine still recuperating from the elbow injury he suffered in last summer's Copa America Centenario while the latter is still suspended from the groin stomp incident against Henan Jianye in the previous round.

With the win, Guangzhou snapped a rare three-game winless skid to remain at the top of the league table with a 16-3-5 win-loss-draw record and 53 points, Xinhuanet reported. The defending champs are still six points ahead of streaking second-place squad Jiangsu Suning, who torched cellar-dwellers Shijiazhuang Ever Bright, 6-1, in their own round 24 match.

Meanwhile, the loss sent Hebei on a two-game losing slide as it was also the team's fourth consecutive winless performance.

Hebei had won only once in nine games before Pellegrini took over and so they are now winless in nine of their last 10 matches after the debut of the former Manchester City boss.

The team is currently at the fifth spot of the league table with 35 points, four points adrift of fourth-place team Shanghai SIPG and six points below third-running team Shanghai Greenland Shenhua for the final AFC Champions League berth next season.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League news, Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC, Hebei China Fortune FC