Hailunjiang Lava Spring took 3 points from Dalian Huai in the 18th round of League One on Friday. The hosts secured a 2:1 victory after a rapid start that left the visitors scrambling for an equaliser. It was a result that shifted the momentum slightly in the lower half of the table.
Daciel was on the mark twice in quick succession to put the home side ahead. He opened the scoring in the 14th minute and doubled the lead just 2 minutes later. By then, the visitors had already lost their shape, and the game settled into a rhythm they could not control. In the 20th minute, the pitch fell silent as Dalian tried to regroup.
The intensity rose in the second half, though the first half saw its share of friction. Sui Weijie picked up a booking in the 36th minute for a reckless challenge, while Hu Jiajin added a caution in the 61st minute. It was a moment that hinted at the frustration building on the touchline. The referee kept a tight grip on proceedings as the game opened up.
Dalian finally found a way back into the contest through C. Bayala. The visitor struck in the 68th minute to halve the deficit and stir the crowd. It was a goal that gave the away side hope, but the hosts refused to let the lead slip away.
The managers began to reshuffle their decks as the clock ticked down. K. Hansen came on for Dalian in the 46th minute, followed by Fan Bojian for the hosts shortly after. More changes followed in the final 30 minutes as both sides searched for a winner. Hu Jiajin was eventually replaced after his earlier caution, a sign that the game had become tight. M. Palacios and Li Zhi also came on.
The result leaves Dalian Huai in 11th place on 25 points. Hailunjiang Lava Spring remain 13th with 22 points after 22 matches. The gap between them stayed at 3 points, but to be fair, the quality of the win matters more than the table position.
This victory offers a reprieve for the hosts following a difficult run of fixtures. They had suffered a heavy 1:5 defeat in their previous outing before drawing 4:4 with Guangxi Hengchen. And here's the thing, consistency is what separates the contenders from the rest.