It was a great opening day to the Chinese Super League’s 2012 season, something a lot of fans were waiting many months for. Things were anti-climatic in Shanghai, but there was plenty to get excited about elsewhere, with an impressive win despite the wet and weather in Shenyang, Fuli getting off to a great start in the top flight, and Guizhou giving the fans something to watch in the first ever professional match in that city. Our Man of the Week? It’s easily Conca.
Liaoning Whowin 3 – 1 Henan Construction
Attendance: 15,311
Liaoning cruise to a big win on the back of a fabulous performance by youngster Yu Hanchao, who scored one goal and had a hand in his club’s two other goals. For more on this match, check out our full match report.
Dalian Shide 1 – 2 Changchun Yatai
Attendance: 12,361
Ricardo scores the first goal of the 2012 season, but it wasn’t enough as Uzbe, defender Anzur Ismailov scores a pair, both set up by Zhang Wenzhao, leading the visitors to a victory.
Guizhou Renhe 2 – 1 Shandong Luneng
Attendance: 51,983
Guizhou boosts the league’s attendance with a massive crowd in Guiyang who got to see a good game with an excellent result for the home side, picking up three points for the first time at their new home with an extra time winner.
Guangzhou Fuli 3 – 1 Beijing Guoan
Attendance:12,225
Fans of the league’s newest club have to be happy about their sides performance, while the Men in Green embarassed themselves. For more, check out our full match report.
Shanghai Shenhua 1 – 1 Jiangsu Sainty
Attendance: 17,227
A fairly boring, Anelka-less match that can’t live up to the hype, for more, check out our full match report.
Hangzhou Greentown 0 – 0 Qingdao Jonoon
Attendance: 19,623
A tough draw for Hangzhou’s big return to their home stadium, for more read our View from the West Lake.
Guangzhou Evergrande 2 – 1 Shanghai Shenxin
Attendance: 36,187
It was a surprisingly small crowd (is Fuli cutting into the Evergrande support?) who came out to watch the champs open up their season. The visitors opened up the scoring, but two great goals from Conca gave Evergrande the win.
Tianjin Teda 1 – 0 Dalian Aerbin
Attendance: 7,979
A disappointing crowd headed to Teda Stadium, and while Yu Dabao didn’t dress, it was still a decent match, Tianjin saved themselves from another draw with a late winner.
“It was a surprisingly small crowd (is Fuli cutting into the Evergrande support?)”
The crowd was indeed a little disappointing but I don’t think Fuli will really be cutting into Hengda’s fanbase which has become quite established over the past 2 seasons. It’s not uncommon to see Hengda shirts around the city, in the suburbs and at 5-a-side games.
Having said that, word on the street is that Hengda won’t be getting many tickets for what is already shaping up to be one of the biggest games of the 2012 CSL season: The Guangzhou derby on Friday. Fuli are hoping to mobilise all their employees and get them to try and fill a large percentage of Yuexiu stadium.
I don’t expect the “Fuli factor” to be big, but I do think it will have some influence on things. There were plenty of media reports saying fans were going to Fuli on Saturday and Evergrande on Sunday. Evergrande’s title win and early success this year is sure to bring out lots of glory hunters and hangers on. I wonder how much the price hike influenced things or what other factors were involved that led to the low attendance. I was kind of surprised by only 12,000 at the Fuli match, from tv coverage, it looked like a good sized crowd.
C’mon Fuli! Smash those plastic Hengdas!!
This weekend is a a biggie for derby/rival games:
Guangzhou derby: Fuli vs Hengda
Jing-Hu rivalry: Guoan vs Shenhua
Jiang-Zhe derby: Sainty vs Greentown
Dalian derby: Aerbin vs Shide
How do you locals see them panning out?
Hengda, Guoan, draw, draw.
Yuexiu stadium can hold 30,000. Why has the capacity for the Guangzhou derby been limited at 15,800 (with only an official allocation of 1,200 given to Hengda)?
Haha, you’re the Guangzhou local. This is not only the case for the Guangzhou derby but for the Guoan match, it was also limited to 15,000. My partner in crime thought it might be due to some renovations or something.
I think Yexiu stadium is limited in capacity this year for safety reasons, I watched Shenhua play Guangzhou (pre-evergrade) there in 2009 on the terrace built on the hillside, something of a crumbling edifice, probaly needs refurbished.
2-0 to Fuli! Top of the table. Get in!