Shanghai SIPG defeated Chongqing Lifan 3-0 in the Chinese Super League's seventh round of matches to stay top in Group B, while Group A leaders Guangzhou Evergrande were held to a 2-2 draw by struggling Dalian Pro.
Goals from former West Ham United striker Marko Arnautovic and Wang Shenchao in the first half put Shanghai in the driver's seat before Brazilian midfielder Oscar got the third.
Shanghai moved to 17 points from seven games, four clear of second-placed Beijing Guoan who have a game in hand.
Rafa Benitez's Dalian looked set to upset champions Guangzhou going into halftime with a two-goal lead, but Fabio Cannavaro's side produced a stirring second-half comeback to take a point.
Wang Yaopeng put Dalian ahead before Swedish forward Sam Larsson extended their advantage.
Former Barcelona midfielder Paulinho reduced the deficit in the 74th before Brazilian-born forward Fernandinho completed the comeback.
Shandong Luneng eased past Guangzhou R&F 5-1 for their fourth straight win, with Graziano Pelle, Jin Jingdao, Duan Liuyu and Guo Tianyu getting on the scoresheet.
Dia Saba scored a consolation for Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side, who are third-bottom with seven points.
Henan Jianye played out a goalless draw with Shanghai Shenhua in a game postponed by two days due to thunderstorms in Dalian, while Jiangsu Suning and Shenzhen FC also shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
Wuhan Zall bounced back from a loss last week to defeat bottom side Tianjin Teda 2-1.
Tianjin led through Brazilian forward Johnathan before Jean Evrard Kouassi's penalty put Wuhan back on track. Liao Junjian scored Wuhan's winner, condemning Tianjin to a fifth straight league defeat.
Last year's runners-up Beijing Guoan face Shijiazhuang Ever Bright later on Thursday before Qingdao Huanghai meet Hebei CFFC.
Shijiazhuang Everbright were held to a 2-2 draw by last year's runners-up Beijing Guoan, whose goalkeeper Guo Quanbo was sent off in the first half.
Brazilian Alan Carvalho scored the opener for Guoan before Muriqui found the equaliser 10 minutes later. Zambian defender Stoppila Sunzu put Shijiazhuang ahead in the 64th minute but striker Cedric Bakambu equalised with a penalty.
Hebei China Fortune beat Qingdao Huanghai 2-1, both teams ending the game with 10 men after Romain Alessandrini and Zhang Chengdong were sent off.
Hebei earned a first-half lead thanks to an own goal from midfielder Joseph Minala. Huanghai bounced back in the second half with an equaliser from Zhu Jianrong before Bosnian Samir Memisevic scored the winner for Hebei.
(Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru and Manasi Pathak in Chennai; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Ed Osmond)
