Lippi off to winning start at Evergrande

Wearing a Western-style suit on a sweltering night, Marcello Lippi walked onto the field and waved to the Guangzhou Evergrande supporters after a typical Italian-style 1-0 win against Qingdao Jonoon on Sunday.

"It was the first time for me to thank the supporters in such a way. They have really impressed me and I wanted to thank them for their support," said Lippi.

Two hours before the game, Guangzhou was hit by a storm, adding another degree of difficulty for the Italian coach on his debut in the Chinese Super League after signing a 10 million euro ($12.8 million) contract with Guangzhou Evergrande last week.