Sept. 5: Promoted Side Dalian Yingbo Beat Qingdao Hainiu 2-1 at Home to Stay Fourth, Stanciu's Eight Assists and No Early Asian Champions League Talk

On September 5, 2026, Dalian Yingbo defeated Qingdao Hainiu 2-1 at home. After the 26th round of the league ended, foreign player Stanciu stood on the sidelines and said a very restrained sentence: “We still have a lot to do.”

A promoted team whose initial season goal was to avoid relegation has reached this position. Its key foreign player did not celebrate Asian Champions League prospects, instead bringing the focus back to the next four league matches.

The weight of this sentence can only be understood when placed within Dalian Yingbo's entire year-long timeline.

Dalian Yingbo's situation began changing rapidly from the start of the season.

On May 23, their 2-0 home victory over Chengdu Rongcheng was the first time they made the outside world realize that points would be difficult to take from their home ground.

Then on July 21, they eliminated Henan FC 7-6 in a penalty shootout in the FA Cup, with both consecutive tough matches going down to the final moments.

By August 24, when the Chinese Super League officially released the standings after round 24, Dalian Yingbo had already moved into fourth place.

They moved from the relegation zone to the Asian Champions League qualification zone in less than four months, and this team had only just been promoted from China League One this year.

The question is whether they can hold this position securely.

As of round 24, Dalian Yingbo had collected only four points from three consecutive away matches, and their away win rate remained low.

Although the average attendance in their last three home matches reached 15,000, 3,000 more than the same period in the 2025 season, the gap between home and away performances shows that Li Guoxu's tactical system loses some effectiveness away from the home atmosphere.

Returning to the match on September 5.

Dalian Yingbo took the lead in the 15th minute after a through pass from midfield broke through Qingdao Hainiu's defense, but the opponents equalized in the 30th minute with a corner kick.

During halftime, Li Guoxu adjusted the tactical focus, and in the second half the team regained control of midfield possession, with the final possession statistics at 57% to 43%.

The decisive goal came late in the match. Achimpen and Alimi repeatedly attacked from the wings, and after Stanciu delivered several key passes through the center, the team completed the comeback.

Dalian Yingbo had six corners compared with three for their opponents. The overall statistics were not overwhelming, but execution at key moments secured the three points.

Winning this match directly gave Dalian Yingbo more breathing room in the battle for Asian Champions League qualification.

According to the 2026 Chinese Super League rules, the top three teams qualify directly for the next season's AFC Champions League Elite, while fourth place receives qualification for the second-tier competition.

Dalian Yingbo are currently around fourth place, with the teams behind them separated by very small points differences.

But Stanciu did not make premature promises. After the match he told media: “Regarding the Asian Champions League, we will see after the league ends. The most important thing now is to play every match in front of us well.”

This was not just a polite statement.

According to the statistics, Stanciu has already provided eight assists this season, ranking among the top five in the CSL assist chart, but Dalian Yingbo's attack is not built around one person alone.

Achimpen and Alimi's wing breakthroughs, along with Li Guoxu's control of midfield rhythm, together form this system.

With only Stanciu's creativity, the team can defeat opponents like Qingdao Hainiu, but to continue collecting points against stronger opponents in the remaining four rounds, squad depth will be the real test.

Looking from another angle, Dalian Yingbo's fluctuating away form this season is itself a warning.

Taking only four points from three consecutive away matches shows that the team has weaknesses in defensive organization and physical distribution in high-intensity, high-pressure away environments.

If two or three of the remaining four matches are away games, this issue will be magnified again.

Stanciu limited his comments to the “four league matches,” which was also a way of cooling expectations: finish the immediate tasks first before discussing longer-term goals.

From a broader perspective, Dalian Yingbo's rapid rise reveals an industry trend: when CSL promoted teams reach a certain threshold in investment and tactical maturity, they do have the ability to challenge the upper levels in their first season.

However, whether this rise can continue depends on two factors: the willingness of key foreign players to renew contracts and the depth of the squad.

Stanciu's current stance is to focus on the present, without discussing his future, which itself leaves an unanswered question.

If he leaves after the season ends, Dalian Yingbo's competitiveness next year would face another reshuffle.

What is currently certain is that CSL rounds 27 to 30 will take place from September to November 2026, and Dalian Yingbo's remaining opponents and schedule will be subject to official announcements.

After the league concludes, the CSL official will formally announce the final standings and Asian Champions League qualification list.

Stanciu's statement that there is still a lot to do points not only to the four matches ahead, but also to whether Dalian Yingbo can turn this season's unexpected position into a repeatable starting point.

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