Teixeira brace sees Shanghai go top in CSL
Portugal striker Joao Teixeira scored twice as Shanghai Shenhua beat Shandong Taishan 3-0 in the 3rd round of the Chinese Super League on Sunday.
Joao Teixeira (Top) of Shanghai Shenhua vies for the ball during the 2024 season Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL) 3rd round match between Shangdong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province, March 31, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhu Zheng)
The visiting Shanghai side entered the stadium with two consecutive wins, which put them at the top of the league table. When many thought it could go like nip and tuck as both teams have several international players, it turned out to be a one-sided game.
Teixeira fired in front of the penalty area to help Shanghai take the initiative in the fourth minute. 25 minutes later, the 31-year-old Portuguese blasted a shot into the top corner following a fast dribbling pass, which put Shanghai ahead 2-0.
Shanghai's midfielder Xu Haoyang sealed the win in the 63rd minute with a long-range shot.
Shandong is not the only team that lost at home on Sunday. Elsewhere, Changchun Yatai suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, while Meizhou Hakka lost to Zhejiang FC 2-1.