Yukun's First Round Victory Over Qingdao, Jordi Still Has Much Work Ahead

Report from Yuxi With goals from Kleber, Yi Teng, and Hou Yongyong, Yunnan Yukun defeated Qingdao Hainiu 3-1, securing their first home win of the new season. Given that Qingdao Hainiu is widely recognized as one of the weakest teams in the Chinese Super League, the upcoming away match against Henan Club Citaofang may present the real test for new head coach Jordi.

On the evening of the 7th, at the Yuxi Plateau Sports Center Stadium, a total of 22,163 spectators attended Yukun's first home match of the season, with an estimated attendance rate exceeding 90%. Before the match, captain Zhao Yuhao delivered a speech, hoping that Yukun in the new season would stand as majestic as the Ailao Mountains and be as energetic as the plateau sunshine, "fighting for Yunnan, fighting for victory!"

As night fell before kickoff, fireworks ignited, and Jordi's meticulously crafted Yukun 433 formation debuted in the CSL: goalkeeper Bao Yaxiong; defenders Yang Zihao, Burke, Yi Teng, Deng Hanwen; midfielders Hou Yongyong, Xu Xin, Ye Chugui; forwards Oscar, Kleber, Jonicha. This starting lineup was largely similar to the one used during winter training warm-up matches, with only minor positional optimizations.

The visiting team, starting with a -7 point handicap, immediately adopted an all-out attacking stance, fielding five new foreign players simultaneously. In the 11th minute, Yukun intercepted centrally, Yang Zihao delivered a cross from the flank, and Kleber pushed it home; in the 15th minute, Deng Hanwin earned a corner at the baseline, Jonicha delivered it, and Yi Teng added another with a header. During stoppage time in the first half, Yi Teng advanced into the opponent's half, delivered a diagonal pass centrally, and Hou Yongyong cleverly shot to score, 3-0!

In the second half, Jonicha's left-footed shots repeatedly tested opposing goalkeeper Mu Pengfei, and a corner he delivered was headed by Caio onto the post. Due to the hosts wasting several opportunities, the only goal in the second half came from the visitors' Yeboya on a solo break. Although the 3-1 final result was not perfect, cheers from the stands remained fervent, as Yukun's positive changes were clearly evident.

After the match, Kleber stated that the home atmosphere created by Yunnan fans greatly inspired him. He hopes to continue striving with the help of his teammates, scoring more goals, competing for the CSL Golden Boot, and winning more victories for Yukun. The arrival of this Brazilian striker reshaped Yukun's frontline, allowing Oscar to find space for breakthroughs on the left wing and Jonicha opportunities to cut inside from the right.

The series of changes triggered by Jordi's new tactics involve not just an increase in frontline personnel but extend from the inside out, from points to broader aspects. "This system requires time to integrate; it cannot be fully understood by everyone in just two or three months," said the Spaniard, who was satisfied with the result but clearly found the winning process not yet meeting his expectations.

From the 28th minute onward, the visiting team launched a wave of counterattacks, the most dangerous occurring in the 36th minute when Mesaudi's lofted shot to the far corner hit the crossbar, and Yeboya's headed follow-up was fortunately cleared off the line by Burke. Regarding this period of "complete loss of control," Jordi attributed it to the team relinquishing possession. In his view, only by consistently maintaining possession can more attacking opportunities be created, enhancing both the spectacle of the match and the number of goals.

The player who best embodied Jordi's tactical demands was undoubtedly Yi Teng. Last season, this center-back only participated in set-piece attacks, but in the first round, he not only joined several positional attacks but also provided a brilliant assist to Hou Yongyong. He acknowledged this as one of the changes brought by the new head coach: "Last season we were accustomed to a relatively simple and direct style of play. Through磨合 during winter training, even now some aspects are not yet perfectly synchronized," he said. "But we all believe Yukun will perform better as time goes on."

At 36, Yi Teng is Yukun's oldest player, yet he fully embraces Jordi's training approach of "fragmenting possession concepts and detailing tactical methods." His efforts not only yielded a goal but also earned him the title of best player of the match. Jordi also observed the players' diligent process of learning, attempting, and executing the new tactics, expressing that he is "very satisfied" with it.

Beyond the changed role and function of the center-back, within the new tactical system, the roles of the two full-backs are particularly prominent. The individual capability and team附加值 of Deng Hanwen and Yang Zihao were noticeably higher than their counterparts in the same positions in the first round, enriching Yukun's flank attacking methods and reflecting part of the club's recruitment成果.

Among the 11 new signings重点 introduced this season, only Bao Yaxiong, Deng Hanwen, Yang Zihao, Xu Xin, and Kleber started in the first round, while Caio and Huang Zichang appeared as substitutes. "We have many players,他们的能力足够强, with goal-scoring ability," Jordi said. The league has just begun, and the coaching staff still has much work to do.

Facing Hainiu, which also underwent近乎重组 after changing coaches but has relatively limited financial投入, Yukun's first win came somewhat easily. Meanwhile, Henan, with a more mature style and clearer improvement, defeated Shanghai Port in the first round. Next Sunday's远征 to Zhengzhou will present a real challenge for Jordi-led Yunnan Yukun.