Qingdao West Coast: Blocking Strong Opponents to Enhance Their Own Strength

Reported by Chen Yong Since Shandong Taishan defeated Shanghai Port, Chengdu Rongcheng only needed a victory to seize control of the title race. Chengdu Rongcheng was determined to win, but Qingdao West Coast stood firm: in last night’s 28th round CSL match, Qingdao West Coast drew 2-2 at home against Chengdu Rongcheng, causing the latter to lose their advantage in the championship fight. Up to now, in Shandong, local head coaches Han Peng and Shao Jiayi have both successfully blocked the title contenders.

In this match, Qingdao West Coast fielded their strongest lineup including five foreign players: goalkeeper Li Hao; defenders He Longhai, Mateus, Richelie, and Yang Xi; midfielders Xu Bin, Chen Bo-liang, Davidson, Duan Liuyu, and Nelson Lu; and striker Aziz up front. Among them, Chen Bo-liang had fewer appearances, related to Zhang Chengdong’s suspension. This lineup clearly demonstrated Qingdao West Coast’s firm determination to block Chengdu Rongcheng.

After the game started, Qingdao West Coast played very aggressively, combining high pressing in the front with low defensive blocks, and scored a goal in the 29th minute through Davidson.

This goal placed heavy pressure on Chengdu Rongcheng, allowing Qingdao West Coast to focus on defense while launching counterattacks with their foreign attacking trio. The team’s possession rate soon dropped to less than half that of Chengdu Rongcheng, and they appeared dominated on the field. However, through effective counters, Qingdao West Coast scored again in the 56th minute of the second half, with Davidson netting his second goal to extend the lead to 2-0.

This goal nearly pushed Chengdu Rongcheng into a desperate situation. Earlier, Shandong Taishan defeated Shanghai Port 3-1, giving Chengdu Rongcheng full control of the title race. Yet this scoreline was unexpected not only for Chengdu Rongcheng but also surprised many fans.

In the 67th minute, Felipe scored to pull one back for Chengdu Rongcheng, giving them hope. Qingdao West Coast began to feel the pressure, prompting Shao Jiayi to adjust the lineup by substituting 37-year-old veteran Chen Bo-liang with Zhang Xiuwi to strengthen midfield interception.

In the 100th minute, Chengdu Rongcheng’s persistent attacks finally paid off as Felipe scored his second goal to equalize. However, the match ended immediately afterward, and Chengdu Rongcheng could not complete a comeback victory.

Although Chengdu Rongcheng managed to equalize and earn a point, this was not meaningless. For example, if Shanghai Port lost again, Chengdu Rongcheng would only need one more point to catch up in the standings, holding the advantage in head-to-head results. Nonetheless, the draw did not significantly change the situation, as Chengdu Rongcheng still trails by one point and cannot yet control the title race.

In this round, the local coaches performed very strongly. Han Peng and Shao Jiayi together blocked Shanghai Port and Chengdu Rongcheng — the former winning and the latter drawing. Due to these consecutive blocks, the championship situation remains largely unchanged, with Shanghai Port still holding the upper hand. Meanwhile, Yu Genwei also blocked relegation-threatened Changchun Yatai, turning their original 3 points into 1, with the decisive goal also scored in the 100th minute.