Reporter Chen Yong reports In the 26th round of the Chinese Super League, Qingdao Hainiu faced Changchun Yatai away. At the 90th minute, Qingdao was still leading 2-0 with 11 players against 10, but an unexpected event unfolded during stoppage time as the ten-man Changchun Yatai scored two goals, reducing Qingdao Hainiu’s 3 points to 1 and losing a golden chance.

Had Qingdao Hainiu won that match, they would not only have been 3 points ahead of Changchun Yatai with a head-to-head advantage but also tied on points with Shenzhen Pengcheng. However, that equalizer was not the darkest moment for Qingdao Hainiu, as they still had a make-up match against Meizhou Hakka. A win there would have put them 4 points clear of Meizhou Hakka; even a draw would have kept them ahead. Unfortunately, Qingdao Hainiu lost 0-1 in that National Day period rescheduled game.

In these two crucial relegation battles, Qingdao Hainiu missed key chances, causing their relegation situation to deteriorate sharply. Currently ranked 15th, Qingdao Hainiu must fight desperately in the last 4 rounds to avoid relegation.

Hesitation in Relegation Battles

After losing two critical chances in a row, Qingdao Hainiu’s main issue is hesitation: in the match against Changchun Yatai, Qingdao had an 11 vs. 10 advantage from the 8th minute. Despite taking a 2-0 lead later, the team’s performance did not reflect the extra player advantage; instead, it appeared as if they were one player down. For much of the match, Qingdao was dominated by Changchun Yatai, with shots at 8 to 12, shots on target 4 to 6, corners 3 to 6, and free kicks 8 to 18.

In the game against Meizhou Hakka, Qingdao Hainiu also underperformed. Aside from the 0-1 loss, central defender Nikola received a red card in the final moments and will miss the next match against Shanghai Port. Statistically, Qingdao had a decent performance with 69% possession, 17 shots to 11, 3 shots on target to 2, and 6 corners to 3. However, luck was not on their side: the slow-motion replay of the goal showed Liu Jiashen’s header slightly deflecting Ru Zinan’s shot, altering its path. Mid-season signing striker Rankelz missed an open goal opportunity, though Meizhou Hakka also missed a clear breakaway chance.

From this match, Qingdao Hainiu’s main problem was a lack of attacking sharpness. Although they controlled the game more, their offensive effectiveness was mediocre with few threatening attacks. They also struggled to handle the opponent’s counterattacks; Meizhou Hakka had two excellent breakaway chances besides the goal — one missed and one that caused Nikola’s red card.

For Qingdao Hainiu, winning against Changchun Yatai or at least not losing to Meizhou Hakka would have made a huge difference. Even achieving one of these results — for example, winning against Changchun Yatai but losing to Meizhou Hakka — would have put them level on points with Shenzhen Pengcheng and Meizhou Hakka. Drawing with both would have allowed them to surpass Changchun Yatai and Meizhou Hakka in points. But all these scenarios are now irrelevant; Qingdao Hainiu must face the reality and the future ahead.

Every Match Must Be a Fight to the Death

Currently, Shenzhen Pengcheng and Meizhou Hakka both have 20 points, while Qingdao Hainiu and Changchun Yatai have 18 points each. In head-to-head comparisons, Qingdao Hainiu is better than Changchun Yatai (1 win, 1 draw), worse than Meizhou Hakka (1 draw, 1 loss), and worse than Shenzhen Pengcheng (2 losses). Given these results, Qingdao Hainiu must surpass their rivals in points to avoid relegation.

Regarding the schedule, Qingdao Hainiu’s last four rounds are: home against Shanghai Port, away against Beijing Guoan, home against Wuhan Three Towns, and away against Zhejiang. The toughest challenge is the away match against Beijing Guoan. Therefore, Qingdao must fight desperately to earn points at home against Shanghai Port, must win at home against Wuhan Three Towns, and must also battle hard in the final match against Zhejiang. Even though the game against Beijing Guoan is extremely difficult, they cannot give up easily.

However, Qingdao Hainiu’s away record this season has been very poor: in 13 away matches, they have 3 draws and 10 losses with no wins, making them the only team in the Chinese Super League without an away victory. Their draws were in round 10 away 1-1 against Shandong Taishan, round 21 away 0-0 against Chengdu Rongcheng, and round 26 away 2-2 against Changchun Yatai. At home, Qingdao Hainiu has only won 3 matches but lost just 4, with 6 draws. In contrast, their relegation rivals Shenzhen Pengcheng and Changchun Yatai have each lost 7 home games, and Meizhou Hakka has lost 8 at home.

Looking at the schedules of relegation rivals: Shenzhen Pengcheng hosts Beijing Guoan and Chengdu Rongcheng, and plays away at Wuhan Three Towns and Shanghai Shenhua; Meizhou Hakka plays away at Chengdu Rongcheng and Beijing Guoan, and hosts Yunnan Yukun and Dalian Yingbo; Changchun Yatai plays away at Henan Jinzu Dukang and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, hosts Beijing Guoan, and plays away at Qingdao West Coast. None of these rivals have easy schedules. In fact, out of 16 relegation battle matches, 9 are against the league’s top four title contenders. The clash between relegation and title races is the biggest highlight of the league’s final phase.