BEIJING, Aug. 13 -- Guangzhou Evergrande was closing to its 7th Chinese Super League (CSL) title after edging Henan Jianye 2-1 on Sunday.

Jose Paulo Bezerra Maciel Junior (Paulinho) had left Guangzhou city for FC Barcelona, making the CSL defending champion fall into struggle. And Henan Jianye fielded a solid defence formation, keeping goalless with Evergrande in the first 45 minutes.

Ricardo Goulart then broke the deadlock in the 51st minute, finishing a counter attack with a tackle shot in the zone. After Ricardo Vaz Te of Jianye missing a pair of chances, a header from Alan Douglas Borges de Carvalho enlarged the home team's advantage in the 86th minute.

Borek Dockal pulled one back before the final whistle from a free-kick in the front of the penalty zone.

Evergrande tops the CSL standings after 22 rounds.

"Paulinho had joined FC Barcelona, we can't get new non-Chinese players this season any more, these would have effects on us," Evergrande's captain Zheng Zhi said after the game.

"Transferring to FC Barcelona is an honor for not only Paulinho himself but aslo all the CSL sides, we wish him good luck in spain," Zheng added.

Yanbian Fude lined up three non-Chinese attackers as starters hoping to avoid relegation, when it faced against Changchun Yatai on away soil. Yanbian has never defeated Yatai in Changchun city, and it still didn't break the cruise on Sunday when both sides ended 1-1.

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