Qingdao Youth Island beat Qingdao Zhongren 2-0 in the Super League on Saturday, extending their unbeaten run to five matches. The hosts held fifth place with 38 points after 26 games, while the visitors slipped further down to 16th with just 14 points from six wins and three draws.
They took the lead in the 40th minute when Peng Xinli found the net. A couple of minutes before that, a goal by Nan Song had been cancelled by VAR, a moment that shifted the momentum without appearing on the scoreboard. The visitors needed to respond but instead began to unravel.
S. Memisevic doubled the advantage in the 64th minute, finishing a move that exposed the guests' defensive vulnerability. By then Qingdao Zhongren were already down to ten men after Li Suda was sent off in the 85th minute for his second yellow card. The red card came late in the game but reflected a pattern of indiscipline.
The statistics tell the story. Youth Island registered four shots on target and hit 44 per cent accuracy, while the visitors managed only two shots on target from 18 per cent accuracy. Possession sat at 56 per cent to the hosts, and they completed 339 passes compared to 253 for their opponents. The guests also accumulated five yellow cards and one red, while the hosts received just one yellow and no dismissals.
The result leaves Qingdao Zhongren nine points adrift of safety with five matches remaining. They have lost seventeen of twenty-six games this season and showed no signs of turning things around. Youth Island, meanwhile, stay in the upper half and will be weighing up a move for more consistency from here.