Beijing Guoan FC finally went on an unbeaten run as the capital city squad blanked reeling powerhouse Shandong Luneng Taishan FC, 2-0, in a match held at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium last Sunday as the 2016 Chinese Super League season approaches its midseason mark.

Resident striker Yu Dabao netted the first goal of the match at the 13th minute from a pass by midfielder Zhang Chengdong, via Soccerway.

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The second goal was scored in the second half, one minute before the hour mark, by another local striker, Zhang Chiming, off a cross from winger Zhang Xizhe.

The win sent Beijing on a two-game undefeated streak as the game was also the second straight match that the Imperial Guards were handled by former assistant and now interim head coach Xie Feng.

Xie took over from the sacked Alberto Zaccheroni in the middle of May. The 63-year-old Italian mentor was fired by the club after leading the team to a 2-4-3 slate in the first nine rounds of this term's competitions, which was unacceptable to Guoan's senior officials.

Beijing has been a perennial contender in the China top flight and is known for their high-scoring, fast-paced style of play, something that Zaccheroni failed to maintain as the team was shut out in five of its nine games with the former Juventus head coach.

The last straw was when the Imperial Guards were thrashed by newly-promoted side Hebei China Fortune, 0-2, on May 18 at their own home field of Workers' Stadium. Two days after the match, the club announced Zaccheroni's firing.

The decision proved to be the correct one for club chairman Li Jianyi and company as the difference is immediately apparent in the squad's first game under Xie, a 1-1 tie with middling club Shijiazhuang Ever Bright.

Meanwhile, Guoan's victory brought Shandong to their sixth straight winless performance this season, China.org noted.

While last season's third-placed squad is performing well in the AFC Champions League, Taishan Dui could not find their top form in the first division domestic competitions, leaving them third from the cellar of the current league table.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League 2016, beijing guoan fc, Shandong Luneng Taishan FC