Henan played Qingdao Youth Island in the 22nd round of the Super League on Sunday evening. The visitors held firm to secure a point, leaving the score at 0:0 after ninety minutes. It was a match where chances were scarce, and neither side could find the net.
To be fair, the opening half lacked clear-cut opportunities. Henan controlled possession, but their shots often lacked precision. Qingdao sat deep, waiting for a mistake they never quite got. By then, the tension was building without a breakthrough.
The first booking arrived in the 40th minute when A. Abudulam went into the referee’s book. Just before the break, X. Zhang also picked up a caution for a late challenge. Nan Song was brought on at the start of the second half, looking to change the tempo.
Zheng Zhi joined the list of offenders in the 58th minute, pulling a shirt. And here's the thing about this game: it stayed deadlocked until the 75th minute. That is when Haliq Ablahan received a straight red card, reducing Qingdao to ten men. Dong Yu then picked up a yellow card for the visitors.
With the visitors down to ten, Henan pushed forward but couldn't break through. Zhong Yihao, X. Zhang, and A. Abudulam were all substituted in the closing stages as the game fizzled out.
Henan controlled 58 per cent of possession but wasted their 10 shots. Qingdao managed just 5 attempts, none of which tested the goalkeeper. The hosts had 6 corners compared to the visitors' 3. The statistics show Henan created more, but the visitors defended their line well.
The point keeps Henan in 12th place with 26 points from 25 games. Qingdao remain 5th with 38 points, extending their unbeaten run. It was a result that suited the visitors more, given they were playing for a higher position.