Luneng dropped behind Beijing Guo’an Football Club with an away defeat to derby rival Zhongneng at Tiantai Stadium in Qingdao September 6.

With four crucial Luneng players suspended in the match, Qingdao was put into a good position to win—and they managed by precise passes and organized attacks.

The home team took the lead 20 minutes before the interval with a strike by Zhongneng player Jiang Ning, exposing Luneng’s weak defenses.

Just seven minutes later, Abdoul Aziz Nikiema, a midfielder from Burkina Faso, doubled Qingdao’s lead in a scrimmage, leaving Shandong goalkeeper Li Leilei stranded.

The second half saw Zivkovic booked for a red card for disrespect to the referee after first receiving a yellow card for dangerous tackling.

Liu Zhao, who replaced Li Jinyu to strengthen the midfield, helped Cicherro head home with his corner 10 minutes before the whistle.

But Luneng was unable to even up the score until the end. Qu Bo, on the other hand, drilled a powerful strike into the net at the 89th minute and secured the victory for Qingdao.

Editor Li Jing

By Yuan Yue (China Daily Shandong Bureau)