Sunday 11 September 2016 16:08, UK
Manuel Pellegrini lost his first game in charge of Hebei China Fortune FC, with a 3-0 defeat to Guangzhou Evergrande in the Chinese Super League.
The former Manchester City manager, who was replaced at the Etihad by Pep Guardiola, was named as the new boss of the Chinese side at the end of August.
Pellegrini, who won the Premier League and two League Cups in a three-year spell at City, succeeded former Everton midfielder Li Tie at Hebel.
The side's star player, former Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli forward Ezequiel Lavezzi - who earns a staggering £400,000 a week - was not on the team-sheet, with former QPR midfielder Stephane Mbia and ex-Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta making the starting XI.
Visitors Guangzhou Evergrande took the lead in the 19th minute when midfielder Huang Bowen sent his right-footed shot from the centre of the box into the back of the net.
The hosts responded well and came close to drawing level just five minutes later when Luo Senwen's right-footed shot from 35 yards narrowly missed the target.
But Guangzhou Evergrande doubled their lead just moments before the break when Alan's shot found the bottom right-hand corner.
Pellegrini's men failed to mount a comeback after the interval and were given a mountain to climb when Ricardo Goulart made it three before the hour mark.
Chances were few and far between as the game drew to a close, with Pellegrini suffering his first Chinese Super League defeat at the hands of the league leaders.
The result puts Hebei in fifth position in the league table ahead of their trip to Yanbian Fude on Sunday, with the 62-year-old hoping to secure his first win in China.
