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Shanghai Port provide Tianjin five-goal thrashing to retain Chinese title

Shanghai Port finished a successful defence of their Chinese Super League title on Saturday when Kevin Muscat's side provided Tianjin Tigers a 50 knocking on the final day of the season to complete one point ahead of crosscity rivals Shanghai Shenhua.

Port, who won the very first of their 3 league titles in 2018, entered into the game needing to match Shenhua's outcome to maintain the prize and started quickly at Pudong Arena when Leo Cittadini scored from close quarters in the fourth minute.

Matias Vargas doubled the lead thirty minutes later when a VAR review determined the Argentinian's volley had crossed the line despite efforts by goalkeeper Fang Jingqi to push the ball to security.

An Oscar penalty 10 minutes into the second half put Port even more ahead and minutes later the Brazilian set up Wu Lei to score the very first goal of a second-half brace with a medical left-foot surface.

Wu completed the rout with nine minutes remaining when he sent out a looping header over Fang from Wang Shenchao's conservative cross, verifying Port's title win.

Shenhua needed to use 2nd place after defeating third-placed Chengdu Rongcheng 2-1, with objectives from Wu Xi and Yu Hanchao earning Leonid Slutsky's side success after Dong Yanfeng had put the hosts in front in the 42nd minute.

(source: Reuters)