A clean 3-0 victory over South Korean champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma on Thursday saw the Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua achieve a flying start in the East Asia Champions Cup, or A3 Champions Cup.

Goals from Ricardo, Li Gang and Alonso Lopez in both halves also helped Shenhua to the biggest victory that a Chinese side has reaped from a Korean counterpart.

The Shanghai side, which was just edged out of the AFC Champions League due to its bottom-place ranking in the group matches, was eager to prove its proficiency not only in home contests, but also in international events.

Sun Xiang, who had just come back from a half-season playing for Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, was selected to play at left back.

Confident Seongnam Ilhwa showed their ambition for a comfortable win over a Chinese side just after the game began. A low long shot in the fifth minute was received ably by Shenhua keeper Wang Dalei.

But the visiting Koreans had to pay for their absent-mindedness in defense. Shenhua's newly recruited Ricardo poked a Sun Xiang cross into the far corner of the Korean goal in the 10th minute.

The victory-thirsty Koreans later displayed their aggression in attack as they have been used to doing with Chinese teams, but this time, in vain. In fact, their going-all-out up-front cost them a humiliating defeat on this occasion.

Shenhua head coach Osvaldo Gimenez made changes to the lineup right after the break and, just minutes later, his decision proved wise, when substitute Li Gang put the ball into the back of the net after his own fierce long drive was blocked away, making it 2-0.

Alonso eased to head in the third goal in the 74th, after a shot from fellow striker Xie Hui rebounded off the bar.

The three points from this game secure Shenhua's place as frontrunner in the round-robin event that also features Chinese champions Shandong Luneng and Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds.

The 2007 A3 Champions Cup is held in Jinan, Shandong Province. It lasts from June 7 to 13.