Guangzhou Wins First Point in CSL Relegation Match

Guangzhou Evergrande, the Chinese Super League's (CSL) defending champions, lost their first match of the season on Sunday as they were defeated by Guangzhou R&F at the Guangzhou Evergrande Arena.

The match was a tight affair with both teams creating chances but failing to score until the 75th minute when Guangzhou R&F took the lead through substitute Zhou Tian.

However, Guangzhou Evergrande fought back and equalized just two minutes later through defender Huang Zhihao. The game remained level until the final whistle was blown.

Despite the loss, Guangzhou Evergrande manager Simeone de Sena expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance and praised them for their resilience and determination.

"The result is not what we wanted, but I am proud of my players' attitude," he said. "We played well against a strong opponent and showed our fighting spirit."

Meanwhile, Guangzhou R&F manager Gao Zhenhua also expressed his disappointment with his side's performance but praised the visitors for their quality of play.

"We knew it would be a tough match, but we didn't expect to lose so early," he said. "Guangzhou Evergrande is a very good team and we will have to improve if we want to stay in the competition."

The CSL relegates the bottom four teams each year and Guangzhou Evergrande will now look to bounce back from this defeat and secure their place in next season's competition.