Guangzhou Evergrande's Gao Lin scored a stoppage-time equaliser in the Guangzhou derby on Saturday with the 2-2 draw ensuring Dragan Stojkovic's Guangzhou R&F move into top spot in the Chinese Super League.
The point maintains R&F's unbeaten run in the league as the club moved one point ahead of Shanghai SIPG, who defeated Shandong Luneng on Friday evening.
Alan Carvalho had given the defending champions the lead with a simple finish just nine minutes into the game before Eran Zahavi levelled from the penalty spot before half-time after Zheng Long's handball in the area.
Renato's curling free kick put R&F in front in the 64th minute and Stojkovic's side looked to be heading for a fourth straight win before Gao headed home in stoppage time to salvage a point for Luiz Felipe Scolari's team.
"Actually I'm not particularly happy," Stojkovic said. "We deserved three points because we created more chances. I don't know the possession statistics, but we were the better side in the game.
"It was a shame we didn't win. Maybe everybody thinks this is a good result, but for me it is not enough. We have shown good football.
"It is always a huge challenge to play at Evergrande's home because there are few teams who can beat them here. Evergrande's last goal was a shock to us, but a draw is acceptable."
The draw leaves Evergrande in fifth place in the standings on seven points, and their World Cup-winning coach was left to rue a number of missed chances.
"It looks like we are creating problems for ourselves," Scolari said. "There were lots of occasions that, if we had grasped the opportunities things will have been easier for us.
"We are a strong side, but everyone knows football is about putting the ball into the net. If you can't do that you will suffer."
Manuel Pellegrini's Hebei CFFC picked up their second win in a row to move into fourth with a 4-2 thrashing of an out-of-sorts Shanghai Shenhua, who have not won since the opening game of the season.
Fredy Guarin gave Shenhua the lead in the 12th minute but a brace from Aloisio either side of a goal from Yin Hongbo put Hebei 3-1 up inside the first 30 minutes. Giovanni Moreno halved the deficit in the 48th minute, but the home side's two-goal cushion was restored by Gao Zhunyi just a minute later.
The defeat leaves Gustavo Poyet's team in 10th place in the 16-team league, just a point ahead of Guizhou Zhicheng, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Tianjin Teda on Saturday.