Qingdao Youth Island Stun Dalian Zhixing With Clinical 2-0 Victory on the Road

At the Dalian Suoyuwan Football Stadium, Qingdao Youth Island delivered a disciplined, clinical performance to secure a 2-0 away win over Dalian Zhixing, silencing the local crowd and shaking up the China Super League standings.

Despite ceding possession (41% to Dalian’s 59%), Qingdao were ruthlessly efficient when it mattered most. The visitors struck first in the 34th minute when forward A. Yakubu pounced on a defensive lapse, coolly slotting past Dalian’s Weijie Sui to open the scoring. Dalian pressed hard in search of an equalizer—recording 15 shots to Qingdao’s 12 and winning 9 corners—but were time and again denied by inspired goalkeeping from Hao Li and a resolute Qingdao back line.

The second half saw the hosts intensify their attacks, enjoying long stretches of possession and creating several promising moments down the flanks. However, Qingdao’s defensive shape held, marshaled well by Riccieli and Honglüe Zhao, while the midfield tandem of Po Liang Chen and Indio consistently disrupted Dalian’s rhythm.

Tempers briefly flared around the hour mark with yellow cards for Chen Po-Liang and Dalian’s Mamadou Traoré in rapid succession, reflecting growing frustration in the home side’s ranks. Dalian manager Guoxu Li responded with a flurry of substitutions, seeking a spark from Daniel Penha and Isnik Alimi, but chances continued to go begging, most notably when Cephas Malele was denied by Li’s acrobatic save in the 72nd minute.

Qingdao sealed the result in the 79th minute through a swift counter: Duan Liuyu latched onto a crisp pass from Nelson Da Luz, breaking clear and finishing low inside the far post to double the visitors’ lead. The goal came on just their second shot on target, a testament to their ruthless efficiency on the day.

Late substitutions and a stoppage-time booking for M. Iminqari did little to alter the narrative. Qingdao’s compact, opportunistic approach—less ball, more bite—proved decisive, while Dalian Zhixing’s creative struggles were laid bare, despite statistical dominance.

The result gives Qingdao Youth Island a massive morale boost and three crucial points in their fight for league positioning. For Dalian, the defeat exposes lingering questions about their end product and ability to convert possession into results, a challenge they must address as the season enters its critical phase.

Official match highlights and recap can be found on the verified , whose coverage of the Chinese Super League is widely recognized and followed by over 1 million subscribers.