Paulinho contributed two goals for Guangzhou Evergrande, helping the defending champions edge past Beijing Guoan 2-1 in the first round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) football season on Sunday.
The Brazilian broke the ice in the 19th minute for Guangzhou after receiving Huang Bowen's free kick. Beijing almost made the equaliser in the 25th minute, but Brazilian international Renato Augusto's shot found the crossbar, reports Xinhua news agency.
Augusto created a penalty chance in the 37th minute, and Turkey international Burak Yilmaz made it 1-1.
It was Guangzhou's fourth game in 11 days, so other two Brazilian players were not in their good state except Paulinho.
Beijing even had chance to earn a victory in the tough match, but Zhao Hejing was showed red after a strong tackle in the 65th minute, making the 2009 CSL title holders be more passive. Zheng Zhi's kick resulted his ejection in the 80th minute.
But Paulinho scored his second superb individual goal in the 87th minute as Guangzhou produced an archetypal display to see off its old rivals.
In the other two games played on Sunday, Shanghai Greenland smashed Jiangsu FC 4-0, Henan Jianye tied Hebei China Fortune 0-0.
--IANS
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