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Soccer-Port held by Changchun but still move into pole position

By Michael Church

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Shanghai Port moved to the top of Group B of the Chinese Super League on Tuesday despite being held to a 0-0 draw by Changchun Yatai in Suzhou.

Ivan Leko's side were unable to find a way past Changchun's defence but the point earned moves them onto eight points from the first four games of the season and ahead of Shanghai Shenhua and Hebei FC on goal difference.

Earlier in the day, Dalian Pro picked up their first win of the season when Markus Danielsson's goal 10 minutes from time earned a 1-0 win that leaves Tianjin Tigers rooted to the bottom of the standings.

On Monday, Slaven Bilic steered his Beijing Guoan side to a second straight win as last year's third place finishers beat Wuhan FC 2-0.

Congolese striker Cedric Bakambu claimed both goals for Bilic's side, opening the scoring with a fifth minute penalty before doubling Beijing's advantage with an effort from the edge of the area seconds after the restart.

The win moved Beijing onto six points from their first four games, two adrift of Shanghai Port.

Beijing, with six players in China's squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, will not play again until after the international break as Chinese authorities postponed their game on Sunday with Hebei to assist national team preparations.

Poland international Adrian Mierzejewski maintained Shanghai Shenhua's unbeaten start to the season when he scored with an injury-time free kick to earn Choi Kang-hee's side a 1-1 draw with Hebei FC.

Hebei, who have also yet to lose, had taken the lead in the fifth minute through Hu Rentian before Mierzejewski netted from 25 yards out nine minutes into stoppage time to secure a point for Shenhua.

Matches in the Chinese Super League are currently being played in centralised venues in Guangzhou and Suzhou in a bid to limit travel across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Christian Radnedge)