The 2024 Chinese Super League season is now fully underway, with all 16 teams contesting Round One of the new competition.
With all the action concluded, let’s take a look at all the results in our weekly recap.
Shandong Taishan 4-2 Changchun Yatai
The opening fixture of the 2024 season was one that was originally scheduled to take place three days later, but with Shandong Taishan still competing in the AFC Champions League, it was brought forward.
It was an unsurprising result that pitted last season’s league and cup runners-up against a team that will be content securing a mid-table place once again this season.
Shandong dominated from the start, with Brazilian striker Crysan opening the scoring in just the third minute of play. Fellow countrymen Matheus Pato and Jadson netted before half time, giving their team a comfortable 3-0 lead at the break.
Recent arrival Valeri Qazaishvilli, who is expected to play a key role in the team this year, scored just after the hour mark, putting the game firmly beyond Changchun Yatai’s reach.
However, this did not deter Chen Yang’s side, with off-season signing Robert Beric opening his scoring account with the club in the 81st minute before Tan Long netted three minutes into added time. It wasn’t enough for Changchun to fight back, and they slumped to a 4-2 defeat on the road.
Qingdao West Coast 1-1 Henan
Qingdao West Coast’s debut in the Chinese Super League looked to have gotten off to a dismal start in the opening day of the season, with Henan taking a 1-0 lead after just 18 minutes of play.
Bruno Nazario, who joined Henan during the winter transfer window, netted on his debut for the club and the CSL newbies were staring down defeat for the majority of the match.
That was until Lei Wenjie pulled the club level just past the hour mark. Then, almost 20 minutes later, Henan found themselves down to ten men after Huang Ruifeng received his marching orders.
This allowed Qingdao West Coast to keep things level, securing their very first point in the Chinese top tier in their very first appearance at this level.
Shanghai Port 3-1 Wuhan Three Towns
The reigning Chinese Super League champions got off to a perfect start with a 3-1 victory over 2022 champions Wuhan Three Towns at home.
Things looked to have started surprisingly poorly for the Shanghai side, who conceded in the 20th minute from ‘Denny’ Wang Yi. The red-side of Shanghai responded appropriately, however, with star striker Wu Lei levelling things up just 13 minutes later – sending in the two sides tied at 1-1 at the break.
Wuhan Three Towns never looked like taking the lead again, and Wu Lei sent his side ahead in the 75th minute with his second of the match. Veteran defender Wang Shenchao ensured Shanghai Port’s victory with a goal in the second minute of added time, ensuring the champions go their title defence off to a perfect start.
Tianjin Jinmen Tiger 1-1 Nantong Zhiyun
Two teams who will be hoping can move further up the Chinese Super League standings this season competed in a comfortable draw for both sides, ensuring a point each in a fairly close contest on the second day of action.
Tianjin took the lead early in the second half through off-season signing Albion Ademi’s goal, but their lead last just 16 minutes before former Shanghai Port forward Issa Kallon opened his goal scoring account with his new team in the 67th minute.
Both players are expected to play key roles in their respective teams’ chances of improving their standings this season, and having both open their scoring in the first match of the season will be viewed positively by both sides.
Cangzhou Mighty Lions 0-2 Beijing Guoan
A team that is desperate for some silverware in 2024 is Beijing Guoan, who began their new campaign in perfect fashion with a 2-0 away victory over Cangzhou Mighty Lions – a team that is expected to struggle this season after only recently overcoming a transfer ban.
Star forward Zhang Yuning, who missed the entirety of the 2023 season due to injury and rehabilitation, opened the scoring in just the 14th minute – a huge boost for the capital city side, who missed his goal scoring qualities during last season’s sixth place finish.
The match was controlled comfortably by Beijing, but it took them until the sixth minute of added time after regulation to score a second, with Yang Liyu netting to ensure the Imperial Guards earned all three points for manager Ricardo Soares.
Chengdu Rongcheng 2-0 Qingdao Hainiu
Chengdu Rongcheng are viewed as potential dark horses in the race for the Chinese Super League title this season, with strength across their team and some solid recruitment over the past two seasons ensuring they cement their place higher up the league standings.
After finishing fourth last year, the club began the 2024 campaign with a perfect 2-0 victory over Qingdao Hainiu. Brazilian midfielder Andrigo opened the scoring after half an hour and the club kept the visitors at bay throughout the rest of the match before Li Yang scored in the 90th minute.
All three points will be welcome to a team that will be keen to continue challenging at the top end of the table.
Zhejiang 1-0 Shenzhen Peng City
Starting life in the Chinese Super League this season is Shenzhen Peng City, who were previously Sichuan Jiuniu.
After winning the China League One title in 2023, their debut in the top tier did not end in the way they would have hoped after suffering a 1-0 defeat to another CSL dark horse, Zhejiang FC.
Shenzhen had hopes of an upset after Zhejiang found themselves down a man after just 19 minutes with Sun Guowen sent off, but Frank Adrijasevic netted just shy of the half-hour mark to ensure the team in green claimed all three points to get their 2024 campaign up and running in the right way.
Limiting Zhejiang to just one goal will be viewed positively by the CSL newbies, who will be looking to secure points through any avenue to avoid a relegation battle as the season progresses.
Meizhou Hakka 0-2 Shanghai Shenhua
The reigning Chinese FA Cup champions and recent Chinese Super Cup winners will be looking to improve on last year’s fifth-place finish, with the goal of landing the league title now firmly in the hearts of the fanbase.
This task got off to the perfect start with a 2-0 victory over Meizhou Hakka on the opening day of the season. Brazilian striker André Luis, who moved to China’s largest city from Portuguese club Moreirense this winter transfer window, netted twice to give new head coach Leonid Slutsky exactly what was needed to get his career in the Middle Kingdom off on the right foot.
Goals both came in the second half of the match, just three minutes after the restart and in the 67th minute, with the blue half of Shanghai satisfied with all three points.