Football: Beijing halt Shenhua's run in China, Evergrande slump

BEIJING - Beijing Guoan went top of the Chinese Super League after two late goals ended Shanghai Shenhua's 100 per cent start to the season, while holders Guangzhou Evergrande slumped to a first defeat in a bad-tempered clash with Henan Jianye.

Brazilian Elkeson had a chance to snatch a 2-2 draw for Evergrande in the final moments but he blasted his penalty high over the bar to hand new coach Fabio Cannavaro his first defeat.

The referee showed eight yellow cards and it could have been more after some heavy challenges before Bi Jinghao's winner in the 72nd minute.

Zhang Linpeng had levelled for the visitors in the 64th minute effort afrer Zhi Xiao's eighth-minute opener for Henan.

In Beijing, Darko Matic and Erton Fejzullahu scored the goals for last year's runners-up in their 2-0 home victory over Shenhua, who had impressed with three opening wins.

The victory took the capital club top of the table on 10 points from four games, one ahead of Shenhua, Shanghai SIPG and Shandong Luneng, who beat Shanghai Shenxin 2-1 away on Friday.

Henan moved up to fifth on seven points after their surprise win, while Evergrande are seventh, also three points adrift of Beijing.