Shanghai SIPG FC opened the 2017 Chinese Super League season with a two-game winning streak following a 2-0 blanking of Yanbian Funde FC at the Shanghai Stadium on Friday.

Two Chinese local players, forwards Lu Wenjun and Wu Lei, provided the goals for SIPG even as foreign players Hulk, Oscar, and Odil Ahmedov all suited up for head coach Andre Villas-Boas during the match. Villas-Boas rested Brazilian forward Elkeson during the match as only three imports are allowed to be fielded in at the same time.

Like Us on Facebook

Lu opened the scoring in the 42nd minute as he directed Hulk's assist towards the back of Yanbian keeper Chi Wenyi's net to help SIPG take a 1-0 halftime lead, as per the South China Morning Post. Wu then doubled the lead in the 57th minute with the assist this time coming from midfielder Cai Huikang.

It was an impressive follow-up to Shanghai's 5-1 demolition of Changchun Yatai also at the Shanghai Stadium during their season-opener on March 4. "The match was very, very difficult," Villas-Boas said during the post-match press conference, via ESPN. "Our opponents started with a solid defense, and we couldn't find space to attack. Wu Lei missed two or three opportunities."

"Our goals were also not easy as their defense was tough. The whole quality of the game may not be that high, but we managed to gain three points," he added.

With the win, the Red Eagles extended their winning streak in all competitions to five games this term after the team also won their AFC Champions League playoff round game and first two group stage matches.

SIPG advanced to the group stage by beating Thailand club Sukhothai FC in the playoff round. The team then nipped K-League Classic's FC Seoul, 1-0, on Feb. 21 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium to open the group stage while they routed the A-League's Western Sydney Wanderers, 5-1, on Feb. 28 also at their home field in Shanghai afterward.

TagsChinese Super League, Chinese Super League 2017, 2017 Chinese Super League, Shanghai SIPG FC, Yanbian Funde FC