Reporter Chen Yong reports On the evening of August 3, in the 19th round of the Chinese Super League, Qingdao Hainiu lost 0-2 to Dalian Yifang away. The glimmer of hope for relegation that appeared after defeating Tianjin Jinmen Tiger in the previous round was abruptly halted, and the next three matches will be extremely challenging; ensuring they do not fall behind is a top priority for Qingdao Hainiu.

Two key players injured, lost to Dalian

In this match, Qingdao Hainiu faced a significant personnel crisis, with foreign midfield core Saric sidelined due to injury, and newly signed foreign striker Rankel Ze suspended due to a red card. The starting lineup saw only minor changes from the last match: goalkeeper Han Rongze, three center-backs Liu Junshuai, Jin Yangyang, and Nikola, with the two wing-backs being young players Wei Suowei and Jin Yonghao, while the midfield consisted of Rosenwen and Lin Chuangyi, and the front line featured Mai Wulang, Augusto, and Silva.

From the starting lineup, it is evident that despite Qingdao Hainiu's significant efforts to recruit local players during the transfer window, their overall strength and bench depth still rank among the lowest in the Chinese Super League.

The absence of the core midfielder and main striker has a substantial impact on Qingdao Hainiu's tactical approach, and the formidable atmosphere created by the 61,039 fans at Dalian Yifang's "devil's home ground" also put heavy pressure on Qingdao Hainiu. After the match began, Qingdao Hainiu quickly found themselves on the back foot, as Dalian Yifang's sharp attacks left them in a passive position. In the 31st minute, Qingdao Hainiu's goal was finally breached, with Labuyad scoring with a close-range shot.

At the start of the second half, Zhang Chi replaced Rosenwen, and in the 59th minute, Che Shiwei and Xiao Kun replaced Augusto and Jin Yonghao. Qingdao Hainiu significantly intensified their offensive efforts, with possession and shot attempts increasing. For most of the second half, Dalian Yifang did not extend their lead, indicating that Qingdao Hainiu still had a chance to equalize. However, as the match approached its final moments, Dalian Yifang was awarded a penalty, completely extinguishing Qingdao Hainiu's hopes of earning points. Ultimately, Qingdao Hainiu lost 0-2 to Dalian Yifang.

In this match, Qingdao Hainiu actually fought very hard and tenaciously, creating numerous opportunities for interceptions and counterattacks in the front line, but due to their lack of attacking power, they were unable to equalize.

The good news is that their relegation rivals also lost

In the pre-match press conference, Hainiu's head coach Li Xiaopeng stated that this was a showdown between two football cities in China. For many years, both Dalian and Qingdao have been referred to as football cities, and both have experienced difficulties. After overcoming their challenges, Dalian football returned to the Chinese Super League, becoming a top draw in the league, while in the past two years, Qingdao has had two teams in the top tier, but the club's survival situation is not optimistic, with Qingdao Hainiu fighting relegation for two consecutive seasons.

Before this match, Qingdao Hainiu had just secured a critical victory. Before the 18th round of the Chinese Super League, Qingdao Hainiu was 5 points behind the third-to-last Meizhou Hakka, 8 points behind Henan, and a staggering 9 points behind Shenzhen New Pengcheng. However, after defeating Tianjin Jinmen Tiger in the 18th round, Qingdao Hainiu closed the gap to just 2 points behind Meizhou Hakka, 5 points behind Henan, and 6 points behind Shenzhen New Pengcheng, signaling a glimmer of hope for relegation.

In the matches that took place earlier in this round, both Henan and Meizhou Hakka lost. Shortly after Qingdao Hainiu's defeat, Shenzhen New Pengcheng also lost to Zhejiang, meaning that the teams in the relegation zone remained stagnant, and the overall situation in the relegation battle did not change.

In fact, Qingdao Hainiu's loss to Dalian Yifang away was not surprising, but the problem is that the upcoming schedule for Qingdao Hainiu is extremely brutal. The next match against Yunnan Yukun is a key battle, followed by away games against Chengdu Rongcheng and a home match against Shanghai Shenhua, making the schedule very harsh.

For Qingdao Hainiu, the most important thing is to ensure they do not fall behind in the next three matches, to have a chance and confidence in the final relegation battle.

In the subsequent relegation battle, Qingdao Hainiu's key focus will be on their offensive capabilities. In the relegation zone, Qingdao Hainiu has conceded the fewest goals, but their attacking ability is quite poor, with only 15 goals scored so far, tying for the lowest in the Chinese Super League (along with Changchun Yatai). Looking ahead, the return of foreign striker Rankel Ze from suspension will be crucial for Qingdao Hainiu; he has shown significant impact in previous matches. If Saric can recover quickly, Qingdao Hainiu's attacking power is expected to return to a higher level.