In an electrifying Chinese Super League (CSL) encounter on Friday, Shanghai Port and Qingdao West Coast delivered a six-goal thriller, ending in a dramatic 3-3 draw in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province.
Qingdao West Coast extended their undefeated streak to three matches—a historic achievement for the club. Facing the defending champions, Qingdao showed no signs of backing down, capitalizing on early errors to gain the upper hand.
The home side struck first in the 9th minute when Matheus Indio intercepted a misplaced pass from Shanghai Port goalkeeper Yan Junling, swiftly converting it into the opening goal. Just ten minutes later, Yan’s attempted clearance led to chaos in the defense, allowing Davidson to seize the ball and assist Abdul-Aziz Yakubu in doubling Qingdao’s lead.
Shanghai Port responded in the 25th minute as 19-year-old Li Xinxiang charged down the left wing and unleashed a shot that deflected off defender Riccieli into the net, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
Undeterred, Qingdao restored their two-goal cushion in stoppage time of the first half. Yakubu netted his second goal after skillfully maneuvering past defender Umidjan Yusup, making it 3-1 at the break.
The second half saw Shanghai Port mounting a spirited comeback. Eleven minutes in, Li Xinxiang outpaced Zhang Chengdong on the left and delivered a pinpoint cross to Gustavo, who headed home to make it 3-2. The tension peaked in the 83rd minute when Feng Jin’s cross found Li, whose clever pass over goalkeeper Li Hao set up Leonardo to equalize, sealing the 3-3 draw.
Despite the shared points, Shanghai Port maintained their position at the top of the CSL standings with seven points from three games.
