Italy national team star Graziano Pellè scored his first goal in China after two games in the 2016 Chinese Super League season as he led Shandong Luneng Taishan FC to a 4-1 shellacking of lowly squad Hangzhou Greentown FC at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium on Wednesday.

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The 31-year-old Pellè, who was signed by Shandong Luneng on July 11 after purchasing him from English Premier League club Southampton FC for an estimated fee of £12 million, debuted without a goal for Taishan Dui during their 1-1 road draw with Liaoning Whowin during their previous match last Saturday, the Daily Echo reported.

However, the 6-foot-4 striker made sure that he will not disappoint in his second game for head coach Felix Magath's side as he netted the third goal of the squad at the 87th minute to give them a 3-0 lead.

Brazilian defender Jucilei scored the opening goal of the contest at the 41st minute to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at the halftime break.

Local midfielder Wang Yongpo then doubled their lead 10 minutes after the restart from a pass by fellow midfielder Liu Binbin.

Hangzhou tried to fight back with an improved defensive effort late in the second half, but Pellè and Shandong's other newly-signed import, Senegalese striker Papiss Cissé, sealed the match with a goal each to make it 4-0, as per Soccerway.

Cissé followed up Pellè's goal with only a minute left before full time to complete the squad's four-goal haul.

The Green Giants had a consolation goal three minutes into stoppage time with a strike from Croatian import Sammir off a pass by defender Ge Zhen but it was all the visitors can do during the match.

Shandong had a rough start to the season, losing two of their first three matches before going on a 10-game winless spell midway into the term even as Magath replaced former manager Mano Menezes also in the middle of the season.

They have since recovered from their drought, being undefeated in their last four games to climb out of the bottom two relegation zone to the 13th spot of the league table.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League news, Shandong Luneng Taishan FC, Hangzhou Greentown FC, Graziano Pelle