Five straight champions Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC clobbered last season's 13th-placed squad Tianjin Teda FC, 4-0, at the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium in Tianjin on Sunday to emerge as the new league leaders of the 2016 Chinese Super League season.

The win was also the fifth straight for World Cup-winning head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who had been facing a lot of pressure after the defending champions were eliminated in the group stage of the ongoing AFC Champions League just recently.

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Colombian striker Jackson Martinez, Guangzhou's €42 million winter signing, and star-scorer Ricardo Goulart both rested in the said match.

Local striker Gao Lin was the star of the show for Guangzhou, scoring twice and assisting once to lead the Southern China Tigers to the win, via Soccerway.

The first goal in the contest was netted by midfielder Yu Hanchao at the seventh minute off a brilliant assist by Gao before the Evergrande vice-captain poured in two consecutive goals at the 29th and 66th minutes, giving the visitors a 3-0 lead on the road versus the Tianjin Tigers.

Brazilian striker Alan Carvalho sealed the victory with a goal at the 73rd minute, off a cross from defender Rong Hao, completing Guangzhou's four-goal haul in the game.

The victory propelled Evergrande to the top of the current league table, one point ahead of former league leaders Jiangsu Suning, who settled for a 1-1 draw with the defending champs' cross-city rivals Guangzhou R&F last Saturday, as reported by Xinhuanet.

While the Southern China Tigers continue to dominate in the domestic top flight, the team had failed to defend their AFC Champions League title this season as they were eliminated in the group stage of the said Asian club continental competitions.

After Group H leaders Sydney FC settled for a goalless draw with Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds on April 20th at the Sydney Football Stadium, the shared point in the overall standings had made Guangzhou fall short to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament, settling them at the third spot in the group.

TagsChina Football, China football 2016, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League 2016, 2016 Chinese Super League, Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC, Tianjin Teda FC