青岛西海岸 defeats Shanghai Haigang 2-1, extending their unbeaten streak to 13 matches. Zheng Zhi's tactics and starting lineup remain dominant.

Zheng Zhi's Role

Despite being suspended, Zheng Zhi is still the team's dominant figure. In the 9th round of the Chinese Super League, Qingdao West Coast drew with Shandong Taishan, and Zheng Zhi was banned for 6 rounds by the Chinese Football Association for insulting the referee, plus 1 round for accumulated yellow cards and 1 round for a direct red card, making his total suspension 8 rounds, from the 10th to the 17th round.

Contribution of Assistant Coaches

The assistant coaching team has also played a huge role: during Zheng Zhi's suspension, the on-field command is usually handled by Huang Bowen, and while Zheng Zhi can decide on major events, some details on the field still need to be arranged by the assistant coaches, such as controlling the team's emotions and responding to some tactical details in a timely manner.

Future of Qingdao West Coast

The 13-match unbeaten streak is the longest in the 2026 Chinese Super League season, with Chongqing Liangjiang having previously held a 12-match unbeaten streak; 3 losses are the second-fewest in the Chinese Super League, behind only Chongqing Liangjiang's 2 losses; 21 points in 13 matches is also the third-best performance in the same period, behind only Chongqing Liangjiang's 31 points and Beijing Guoan's 22 points, and tied with Shandong Taishan's 21 points.