Last season's fifth place finishers Henan Jianye FC nipped last year's eighth-placers Chongqing Lifan FC, 1-0, at the Chongqing Olympic Sports Center on Sunday to keep their undefeated record in the recently-opened 2016 Chinese Super League season.

Henan achieved the feat "despite one player being sent off" as Chinese midfielder Feng Zhuoyi was booked with a second yellow card six minutes before the full time whistle was blown, as reported by Shanghai Daily.

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Chongqing, recent 2-1 conquerors of defending and five-time CSL champions Guangzhou Evergrande during their season opener, aggressively created multiple chances to try and equalize the match after the visitors scored the first goal early in the first half but they were unable to do so until time expired.

Danish defender Eddi Gomes scored the lone goal in the match at the 21st minute for the Red Devils, who are coming into the game fresh from a similar 1-0 win over last season's runner-ups and Sven-Göran Eriksson-led squad Shanghai SIPG, off a pass from Brazilian midfielder Ivo, via Soccerway.

Swedish striker Osman Sow, who scored Henan's winner in their match against SIPG, was effectively defended by Chongqing manager Chang Woe-ryong's men all throughout the game and was eventually replaced by Filipino striker Javier Patiño at the 86th without any goals under his name this time around.

The 27-year-old Gomes was an acquisition by the Red Devils in January of last year while the 25-year-old Sow was only signed on Feb. 23rd of this year from Scottish Premiership squad Heart of Midlothian as the China winter transfer window was about to close.

Sow had played two seasons with the Jam Tarts and had been one of the club's most productive forwards. The 6-foot-4 Stockholm, Sweden native had appeared in a total of 51 games for Hearts during the said time period and had scored 23 times.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, 2016 Chinese Super League, Henan Jianye FC, Chongqing Lifan FC