By Daily Sports on March 5, 2017

 The Nigeria internationals were on the losing side on their maiden appearance in the Chinese topflight since joining from the English Premier League

John Obi Mikel made his Chinese Super League debut for Tianjin TEDA on Saturday in their 2-0 defeat to Shandong Luneng at Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium.

Captaining the team and playing for 90 minutes, the midfielder was unable to rescue Jaime Pacheco’s men from bowing to the hosts.

Binbin Liu and Papiss Cisse’ strikes in the 78th and 82nd minutes respectively ensured Mikel’s team returned home empty handed, with Brown Ideye – who recently joined from Olympiacos not listed for the encounter.

The defeat places Tianjin TEDA in the 15th position and they face Jiangsu Suning FC on March 10 to negotiate their first win.

Elsewhere, Odion Ighalo’s Changchun Yatai crumbled 5-1 to Shanghai SIPG FC at the Shanghai Stadium.

Ighalo lasted for the entire duration of the game but was caged as Elkeson’s hat-trick plus Hulk and Lei Wu’s goals handed his team a massive defeat despite Xiaodong Fan giving them an early lead.

Sitting at the base of the Chinese Super League with -4 goals difference, Changchun Yatai chase their first league win against Guangzhou R&F F.C. on March 12. (Goal.com)

•Photo shows John Obi Mikel.

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 5, 2017

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