The China forward moved on to seven goals in just three matches when he single-handedly erased Guangzhou R&F’s 2-0 lead in what became a 5-2 win. Hulk was Shanghai SIPG’s other goalscorer.
Guangzhou R&F were two ahead after nine minutes on Sunday before Wu scored in the 17th, 27th, 29th, and 73rd minutes to take the game away from the hosts.
According to the Shanghai SIPG website, he is the first Chinese player in 12 years to score a “big four” in China’s top tier. The last was Shandong Luneng’s Li Jinyu in 2006.
“Congratulations for the poker,” Hulk posted on China’s Twitter-like social media platform Weibo, referring to a four-of-a-kind hand – with four pictures of footballs in his post.
“This boy can play.”
Wu posted that he was “happy to use four goals to help the team to continue to be unstoppable. And this is a result of the whole team’s effort”.
It was the 26-year-old’s second hat-trick of the new season after he plundered three goals in SIPG’s record 8-0 hammering of newly-promoted Dalian Yifang in their first game of the season.
SIPG coach Vitor Pereira said he was “very proud of (his) team and player”, as Chinese fans hailed “Rocket king Wu Lei”.
“There is really no argument that he is the best forward in China. Hope he can score more goals for the national team,” commented one fan.
SIPG, who also have Oscar, Asia’s most expensive signing ever, in their team, are top of the CSL on goal difference with nine points after their first three games.
Pereira’s side are also unbeaten in the AFC Champions League, where they top Group F after three wins and a draw.