Italian striker Graziano Pellè finally had the breakthrough game he was waiting for since he arrived in China after scoring a brace in Shandong Luneng Taishan FC's 2016 Chinese Super League season 4-1 demolition of Tianjin Teda FC at the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium last Saturday.

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The 31-year-old Italy international was acquired by Shandong Luneng last month from English Premier League side Southampton FC for an estimated fee of £12 million. The team signed him to a multi-year contract worth £13.5 million per season, making Pellè the fifth highest-paid footballer in the world tied with Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimović.

Pellè had struggled with his China stint from the beginning, being held scoreless during his CSL debut with a 1-1 draw against Liaoning Whowin. He scored his first goal in his second game, a 4-1 thrashing of Hangzhou Greentown.

Last season's Premier League 14-goal scorer for the Saints never netted one in three games since then until his brace in this match against the Tianjin Tigers.

Shandong's other newly-signed import, Senegalese striker Papiss Cissé, opened the scoring right at the fifth minute of the match with a brilliant one-on-one move against Tianjin keeper Yang Qipeng to open the floodgates for head coach Felix Magath's side, via Soccerway.

Local defender Dai Lin doubled the lead six minutes later as he directed midfielder Jin Jingdao's cross past Yang's outstretched arms.

With a 2-0 lead at the restart, Pellè then took over the game with two goals in the next 40 minutes to complete Taishan Dui's four-goal haul in the contest.

The Tigers avoided a shutout, however, with Gabonese forward Malick Evouna netting a consolation goal during stoppage time to put new head coach Jaime Pacheco's squad on the board, as per Xinhuanet.

It was the second consecutive victory for Shandong as they are currently settled 11th spot of the Chinese first division domestic table. Coach Magath's squad has 26 points at the moment, tied with 12th and 13th placers Hangzhou and Liaoning but has a superior goal difference, with seven games left in their current campaign.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League news, Shandong Luneng Taishan FC, Tianjin Teda FC