Domestic Sports Newswire of Naixi

[Naixi]

A regal conference has been called to order in the capital of Naixi, the city of Chumeichang. An odd variety of people are in attendance: venture capitalists, schoolteachers, old-money aristocrats, youth footballers, stadium architects, and more. The noteworthy success of the Naixi national football team at the 80th Baptism of Fire is the cause for the event, and the major topic of discussion is the following: how should Naixi's first professional domestic football league be organized?

A few things are agreed upon right away, without dispute. Firstly, the league shall be for all men and women who are considered sufficiently skillful in the sport. Secondly, no discrimination in transfer policy shall be permitted. Thirdly, that all games shall take place in either Chumeichang's Huangse Migong stadium or the Sha Dadao stadium in Naixi's largest city, Qiawutian. Both venues are under 30,000 in capacity, but they are the largest two arenas in Naixi for the time being, and in order to preserve the prestige of the competition, all teams must play in one of those two stadia.

This third bylaw is what determines the name of this national league (enshrined in the fourth bylaw): the League of the Two Sapphires. While the congregating parties regret that no teams shall initially be placed in any of Naixi's other cities, the realities of infrastructure degradation in the east, popularity of the sport in the east, and concentration of most players' hometowns being in the west resulted in this decision. The organizers do not plan on enforcing a ban on teams from other parts of the country in the future.

The congress agrees that ten teams shall participate in the first edition of this "League of the Two Sapphires," as it is estimated that 230 to 250 Naixese players are of sufficient quality to be awarded professional contracts. A lottery shall be held to determine which individuals from the player pool are assigned to which teams. This player pool will include players currently representing Naixi at the Baptism of Fire, currently in progress. Every team shall be guaranteed at least one player from the national team's starting lineup, and every team shall be guaranteed at least two players from the national team in total.

The ten teams, five from each of the "two sapphires," are named as follows: Aierlanren, Baomao, Fuchou, Sheshou, and Zhayao of Qiawutian, and Chongjibo, Nongmin, Qiji, Xiniu, and Yinying of Chumeichang. None of the teams have existing fan bases and have been invented out of whole cloth. Colors for the ten teams shall be decided at a later date, after local fan groups have been given input.

The lottery to distribute the starting eleven players begins! The starting eleven players are: Lao-Che Cai, Guo-Liang Lin, Chun-Lan Shao, Xiao-Niao Dong, Kee Tian, Tan-Hung Xun, Pei-Hsi Dai, Kian-Zhi Yuan, Zong-Yuan Ti, Yue Hsieh, and Kuang-Yin Cao. One player is randomly set aside to be assigned a club later. This player is Pei-Hsi Dai. The remaining ten players are randomly assigned to clubs as names of clubs are drawn. A lady in an olive green dress reaches to swirl the ten balls around in a large clear plastic bowl and begins to pull names out.

Lao-Che Cai ⇨ Xiniu
Guo-Liang Lin ⇨ Sheshou
Chun-Lan Shao ⇨ Yinying
Xiao-Niao Dong ⇨ Aierlanren
Kee Tian ⇨ Qiji
Tan-Hung Xun ⇨ Baomao
Kian-Zhi Yuan ⇨ Chongjibo
Zong-Yuan Ti ⇨ Nongmin
Yue Hsieh ⇨ Fuchou
Kuang-Yin Cao ⇨ Zhayao

Pei-Hsi Dai is now assigned to a club at random.

Pei-Hsi Dai ⇨ Zhayao

The ball-winning midfielder joins her Blues teammate Kuang-Yin Cao, the false nine, at Zhayao. Because Zhayao have received two national team starters, it is agreed they should receive no further players from the national team squad.

The remaining national team players still need to be distributed: Di-Na Deng, Ji Ning, Ma-Huan Yep, Jiu-Ling Geng, Hang-Ki Tan, Guan-Cai Tsung, Lan-Fang Fen, Su-Chen Yuen, Chen Ling, Chong-Xian Ye, Tak-Hing Jin, and Jen-Ta Jin. Twelve balls, this time with player names in them, are placed in a different bowl and swirled around by the same lady in the olive green dress.

Jiu-Ling Geng ⇨ Aierlanren
Hang-Ki Tan ⇨ Baomao
Jen-Ta Jin ⇨ Chongjibo
Su-Chen Yuen ⇨ Fuchou
Chong-Xian Ye ⇨ Nongmin
Ma-Huan Yep ⇨ Qiji
Tak-Hing Jin ⇨ Sheshou
Guan-Cai Tsung ⇨ Xiniu
Chen Ling ⇨ Yinying

The following three players are the only players left without clubs: the two backup goalkeepers Di-Na Deng and Ji Ning, and the deep-lying playmaker Lan-Fang Fen. Nine balls go back into the bowl (for the ten teams minus Zhayao) and we go once again.

Di-Na Deng ⇨ Yinying
Ji Ning ⇨ Baomao
Lan-Fang Fen ⇨ Xiniu

And so that's it for the national team players! Hundreds of other players, hoping to use the league as a springboard into the national team, are yet to be drawn. But we shall skip describing them for the time being... the narratives of those men and women are yet to write themselves.

The attendees file out into the cool winter air of Chumeichang. A light rain is falling onto the cobblestone streets.

OOC: This post is the OP of an IC news thread about sports in the country of Naixi. If you are not Naixi, and have not received permission by TG to post here, do not post here. If you are not Naixi, and have received permission by TG to post here, your post must be in character... this is not a discussion thread.

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 PREVIEW

The time has finally come. Naixi are a rising force in international football. At the time of writing, they are octofinalists in the 80th Baptism of Fire, riding the crest of a superbly organized defense that has conceded just once in a group stage lasting eight matches. The world notices, but they surely wonder: why does this relatively developed, successful sporting nation have no professional top flight football league to its name?

Wonder no longer. Presenting, for your consideration, the League of the Two Sapphires. The Naixese FA has brought all forces to bear to create a splendid new domestic league. Now, having said all that, Naixi is still many miles behind many of the best modern footballing countries. Almost all of the players who will feature in this competition call one of either Qiawutian (Naixi's largest city) or Chumeichang (Naixi's capital and second-largest city) home, and there are only two stadiums that the FA consider fit for use in domestic play at this time. As a result, the ten-team league will possess five teams from Qiawutian and five from Chumeichang. Qiawutian and Chumeichang are referred to in Naixi as "the Two Sapphires" - this is where the league gets its name from.

The five teams from Qiawutian will all share a stadium in Qiawutian, and the five teams from Chumeichang will likewise share a stadium in Chumeichang. Multiple fixtures may, in some cases, be scheduled on the same day in the same stadium in order to accommodate this. The league will take place over 27 matchdays, with each team playing every other three times. Some teams will play 13 de jure home games, and some will play 14. However, because so many "away" games will in fact be in a given team's home stadium (playing a team from the same city), the schedule has been tweaked so that every team will play at least 19 de facto home games.

At the end of the 27-game season, two teams will be relegated. Though the country does not have a second tier at the moment, two teams will be promoted based on sporting merit. Clubs from outside the largest city and capital will be considered for promotion.

STADIA

So what are these two stadiums that will be used? They may be small, and they may be getting heavy use in the coming months, but they are both quite new and will serve clubs and fans well. Those are the Sha Dadao stadum in Qiawutian, and the Huangse Migong stadium in Chumeichang. It's worth taking a closer look, so that you can comprehend the unique flavor of each venue.

A highly in-vogue form of architecture in tech hub Qiawutian is black glass panels displaying crackling bolts of violet-blue electricity. Some assume the aesthetic is created by HD television screens, but it is actually real electrical charge generated by Tesla coils built into walls. This chic look is on full display here, where an exterior wall of flashing lightning and glossy black encircles the modern stands in a continuous oval, and entering through the turnstiles is meant to feel like walking into a thunderstorm. Sha Dadao is a brand new arena named after the street on which it was built. The name translates to Avenue of Sand in English, so called because of its close proximity to the shoreline and its attendant dunes. Bohemian types are known to traipse casually around the verdant area by the stadium, which features a small park bordered by wine bars and art galleries.

Huangse Migong (“Yellow Maze”) is neither yellow nor a maze. Instead, it takes its name from the old Chumeichang neighborhood in which it is located, a historic district of winding streets and massive tan brick mansions that once housed the Naixese people’s former slave masters. Now the neighborhood is a sophisticated residential area with several museums, and Naixi’s national stadium rises from a cramped parcel of land like a sea blue isosceles triangle jutting out of the ground next door to stately Victorian manors. The arena has a retractable roof - a perplexing addition given the Naixese capital’s pleasant Mediterranean climate - and three gigantic circular pedestrian ramps on each corner of the stadium. Last month, a children’s maze was illustrated on the long floor of the concourse in yellow paint, a revisionist way of justifying the park’s misnomer.

FANS

Supporters come in many different shapes, sizes, ages, and colors here in Naixi. While the national team has a clear and obvious unifying role in mediating the relationships between all of the distinct fan blocs, as the league prepares to get underway, fans are falling in love - and in hate - with different teams. Already identities are developing.

Naixi's political left is in many ways a shadow of its former self. While the rail workers' unions used to call all the shots, and played an outsized role in the formation of Naixi as a nationstate, they are now largely bureaucratic institutions. Movements for change are directed - often fruitlessly - into fringe political parties and sclerotic community activist institutions. Still, however, both radicals and moderates of the Naixese left persist, and are sufficiently significant in number that they can still move the needle on many topics. Of late, women's issues have taken major steps forward, driven on by a resurgent feminist movement.

Of the Naixese league's clubs, Chongjibo seem best prepared to seize on this moment. With many of the young women who follow the mixed-sex national team being aggressive partisans of the feminist left, a club with shared values - led by a pioneering female coach - is attractive, and Chongjibo have acquired the signature of the 72-year-old iron lady Xiao-Cheng Li to take them forward as their manager. National team captain Kian-Zhi Yuan has also been drafted in. He is certain to be a force within the domestic top flight. He requires a certain type of squad to be built around him, but most media observers agree Li is the coach who can make that happen.

Other clubs with leftist bona fides exist, too. Baomao were given the nickname "the Black Cats" by their ownership group. Those owners did not realize until it was too late that they had nicknamed the team after a famous symbol within the anarchist movement. As such, radicals have donned the Baomao shirt with pride, and there are strains within the overwhelmingly anarcho-syndicalist fan base that wish to somehow formally acquire the team. Qiji, too, appear to be leaning left, with much of their preseason marketing targeting the Two Sapphires' LGBTQ communities. And even though miners' unions are as weak and disorganized as the rail workers' unions, the club Zhayao has been created with union militants as their target audience.

The political right in Naixi seems to be a rising (if currently marginal) force. Since independence, large portions of the former movement for national liberation have channeled their energies into nationalist culture wars. Right wing magazines and internet forums are popular. The limiting factor is the age gap: right wing politics seem to have no home in the milieu of young people, but are in the ascendancy among the elderly and middle-aged. Though football is a sport that largely attracts the interests of the young, older fans are turning their eyes to the League of the Two Sapphires also.

Yinying are a club that will likely lack the resources to do much in the transfer market, but still have the savvy to market themselves to members Naixi's national police. The law enforcement agency employs thousands of (mostly older) officers, typically occupants of suburbs, and they see themselves as a put-upon barrier between civilians of sheep-like "civilians" and the savage throngs of internal enemies all over Naixi (by which they mostly mean the small and endangered indigenous community). These contemptuous people see a common enemy in the fans of clubs like Chongjibo, and have congregated around Yinying as their favored squad.

Sheshou are also a club being towed in the wake of this new right. Like Baomao, the club's owners wanted to attract a fanbase of normal moderate people with kids, but their branding accidentally attracted the passions of a legion of right-wing gun-nut internet trolls who are finding that they enjoy causing trouble in real life as much as they do online. Empty threats of violence on social media have - courtesy of the intervention of football - transitioned into probably-real threats issued by the club's supporters' firm. A fascinating example of the deterioration of the relationship between Naixi's rural population and the left is Nongmin. The club were created with the population in mind (the word literally means "peasants" or "farmers"), but the aging population in Naixi's sparsely populated interior is driven more by cultural suspicion of the indigenous community than it is by any sort of shared agrarian identity. Finally, Aierlanren, a pet project of a local millionaire, are trying to slap together a fan base around the schlocky identity of "Irish pub patrons." For the most part, the millionaire is only making inroads with his own (also rich) friends.

Two clubs have, thus far, not acquired a fan base with any particular political leaning. Fuchou are one of the Qiawutian clubs, and at first seemed to be faring the poorest in terms of self-branding. Their great burgundy-and-tangerine color scheme could not offset the plain lack of intent from the team's ownership group. However, they have built a team around the gifted striker Yue Hsieh and the veteran playmaker Su-Chen Yuen, and have had an outstanding preseason. Local fans are showing up just to see how well the side can play, and they are assembling into a coherent fan base the old-fashioned way. And Xiniu are the one club that seem to have successfully captured the elusive "football moms and dads" who want to take their young child to a game amidst a crowd of genial, apolitical fellow travelers. Their color scheme, which utilizes the national shade of sea blue, makes this easy.

TEAM-BY-TEAM BREAKDOWN

AIERLANREN

Nickname(s): The Irish
Colors: Metallic gold and white, with trim in green and orange
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (21,140 seats)
Manager: Kwang-Chih Lo (he/him, 46)
Notable Players: Jiu-Ling Geng, Xiao-Niao Dong
Aierlanren in Twelve Words: Decent defense, but Irish haven't splashed cash they have for good striker.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆☆☆ / ☆ / ☆☆☆
Supporter Politics: Right
Supporter Expectations: Mid-table

BAOMAO

Nickname(s): The Black Cats
Colors: Black and light brown
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (21,140 seats)
Manager: Mei Huo (he/him, 40)
Notable Players: Hang-Ki Tan, Ji Ning, Tan-Hung Xun
Baomao in Twelve Words: Should finish top half, though anarchist fans' plotted coup looms on horizon.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆☆ / no stars / ☆☆☆
Supporter Politics: Far left
Supporter Expectations: IFCF spots

CHONGJIBO

Nickname(s): The Shockwaves
Colors: Pink and black
City: Chumeichang
Stadium: Huangse Migong (28,776 seats)
Manager: Xiao-Cheng Li (she/her, 72)
Notable Players: Jen-Ta Jin, Kian-Zhi Yuan
Chongjibo in Twelve Words: Fabulous starting eleven, but deep roots in community are what really matter.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆ / ☆☆☆ / ☆
Supporter Politics: Far left
Supporter Expectations: Title

FUCHOU

Nickname(s): The Avengers
Colors: Burgundy and tangerine
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (21,140 seats)
Manager: Run-Ming Kwan (he/him, 69)
Notable Players: Su-Chen Yuen, Yue Hsieh
Fuchou in Twelve Words: Kwan's attacking approach is appreciated nationwide. Owners don't realize their team's potential.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆☆ / ☆ / ☆
Supporter Politics: Apathetic
Supporter Expectations: Title

NONGMIN

Nickname(s): The Farmers
Colors: Silver and red
City: Chumeichang
Stadium: Huangse Migong (28,776 seats)
Manager: Xiao-Niao Ding (she/her, 48)
Notable Players: Chong-Xian Ye, Zong-Yuan Ti
Nongmin in Twelve Words: Amazing attacking pace, chasing leaders... yet hick supporters complain about female coach.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆ / ☆☆ / ☆☆☆☆
Supporter Politics: Right
Supporter Expectations: IFCF spots

QIJI

Nickname(s): The Wizards
Colors: Purple and white
City: Chumeichang
Stadium: Huangse Migong (28,776 seats)
Manager: Chun-Hsia Teoh (she/her, 41)
Notable Players: Kee Tian, Ma-Huan Yep
Qiji in Twelve Words: Veteran squad with some strong young fullbacks. They only need better scouts.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆☆ / ☆☆ / ☆
Supporter Politics: Left
Supporter Expectations: IFCF spots

SHESHOU

Nickname(s): The Marksmen
Colors: White and aerospace orange
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (21,140 seats)
Manager: Liangde He (he/him, 66)
Notable Players: Guo-Liang Lin, Tak-Hing Jin
Sheshou in Twelve Words: Insane gun nut team won't win league, but their academy? Ominously good.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆☆ / ☆☆☆ / ☆
Supporter Politics: Far right
Supporter Expectations: Mid-table

XINIU

Nickname(s): The Blue Rhinos
Colors: Dark blue and sea blue
City: Chumeichang
Stadium: Huangse Migong (28,776 seats)
Manager: Nan-Nan Hong (she/her, 37)
Notable Players: Guan-Cai Tsung, Lan-Fang Fen, Lao-Che Cai
Xiniu in Twelve Words: Cai's amazing, and deserves better squad around him. Hong must shoulder blame.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆☆ / ☆☆ / ☆☆
Supporter Politics: Apathetic
Supporter Expectations: Escape relegation

YINYING

Nickname(s): The Shadows
Colors: Plum and black
City: Chumeichang
Stadium: Huangse Migong (28,776 seats)
Manager: Zhi-Hong Hong (she/her, 39)
Notable Players: Chen Ling, Chun-Lan Shao, Di-Na Deng
Yinying in Twelve Words: Nan-Nan's older sister runs financially mismanaged police club. Survival will be tough.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆ / ☆☆☆ / ☆☆☆
Supporter Politics: Far right
Supporter Expectations: Escape relegation

ZHAYAO

Nickname(s): The Miners
Colors: Red and white
City: Qiawutian
Stadium: Sha Dadao (21,140 seats)
Manager: Chun Lin (she/her, 73)
Notable Players: Kuang-Yin Cao, Pei-Hsi Dai
Zhayao in Twelve Words: Brilliant players (on pretty high wages) up front, but fragile at back.
Finances / Youth / Scouting: ☆☆☆☆ / ☆☆ / ☆☆
Supporter Politics: Left
Supporter Expectations: Escape relegation

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 PREVIEW

It may be small, but it's here to stay... Naixi gets its very first domestic cup today! Named after the national hero and (not-so) internationally acclaimed modern artist Zhen-Li Jiang, the Naixese cup competition will feature all ten of the teams currently playing in the League of the Two Sapphires, and will eventually contain all teams outside of that top flight as well. At season's end, the winner will qualify for the IFCF Cup Winner's Cup.

The structure of the Zhen-Li Jiang Cup will be relatively straightforward in from the quarterfinal stage onward, with participants squaring off in two-legged ties to meet in a one-legged final held at a pre-determined site. Because of the small number of stadia in Naixi, and the resulting stadium-sharing arrangements used for most clubs, the away goals rule will not be used.

Prior to the quarterfinals, however, the Zhen-Li Jiang Cup will use a four-round Casaran system. This is being used to avoid discriminating against any clubs that might - in a random draw - not be given an octofinal bye. This four-round Casaran will involve all ten teams in the League of the Two Sapphires, and will stipulate that every team will play two games "at home" and two "away." At its end eight teams will emerge and go onward to the quarterfinals. Seeding for the "round of eight" will be based on the final table for the Casaran, as will the seeding for the semifinals. Higher-ranked seeds will play their opponent "at home" in the second leg.

Because of the nature of the Casaran system, teams will not be able to know their opponents more than one round in advance. Fixtures will then be published immediately following the round. We are happy to announce the draw for the first round of the Casaran here today!

Chongjibo v Baomao
Sheshou v Aierlanren
Xiniu v Nongmin
Yinying v Zhayao
Fuchou v Qiji

Best of luck to all participants! We will reconvene and discuss the first edition of this tournament when it's over. The final will be held at the Sha Dadao in Qiawutian, an arena with a capacity of 21,140.

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 1

The League of the Two Sapphires began in sensational style on a cool and rainy winter Friday night. Sheshou wrecked Chongjibo's opening night party in Chumeichang by scoring two goals (one by Tak-Hing Jin against his brother Jen-Ta's club) in the first quarter of an hour, then holding on for dear life, and Qiji were given (and converted) a controversial penalty on the 20-minute mark during a deserved victory over Aierlanren in Qiawutian. The next day, with the rain showing no signs of letting up, Zhayao made everyone forget that Ji Ning is only seventeen, after all, as they won three nil in both teams' home stadium (the Sha Dadao), and Yinying were blown off the map by a rampaging Fuchou at the Huangse Migong (Yue Hsieh missed a late chance that would have made it six nil... and would have given her a hat trick). Finally, on Sunday afternoon in Chumeichang, Xiniu and Nongmin waited until the last twenty minutes to get the scoring started but somehow found four goals between them once they did - the Farmers coming out on top three to one.

Chongjibo 1–2 Sheshou
Aierlanren 0–2 Qiji
Zhayao 3–0 Baomao
Yinying 0–5 Fuchou
Xiniu 1–3 Nongmin

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Fuchou                  1    1   0   0     5    0   +5     3
 2 Zhayao                  1    1   0   0     3    0   +3     3
 3 Nongmin                 1    1   0   0     3    1   +2     3
 4 Qiji                    1    1   0   0     2    0   +2     3
 5 Sheshou                 1    1   0   0     2    1   +1     3
 6 Chongjibo               1    0   0   1     1    2   −1     0
 7 Xiniu                   1    0   0   1     1    3   −2     0
 8 Aierlanren              1    0   0   1     0    2   −2     0
 9 Baomao                  1    0   0   1     0    3   −3     0
10 Yinying                 1    0   0   1     0    5   −5     0

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 2

The league's second matchday featured a reduction in the overall number of goals scored, and the stumbling of the two favorites to win the title. Chong-Xian Ye was a worthy recipient of player-of-the-match honors after he curled in Nongmin's second half winner on Friday night in Qiawutian, putting the Farmers top. On Saturday afternoon, Yue Hsieh missed another late chance (and this time it actually mattered), which allowed the Blue Rhinos to secure their first point of the year at Fuchou's expense. Ma-Huan Yep didn't let the swirling rain dampen his Qiji side's IFCF hopes as he assisted twice in the Wizards' second win of the year. On Sunday afternoon at the Sha Dadao, Baomao should have put Yinying away by a much wider margin, but they secured a victory eventually (and Ji Ning performed much better this time). Lastly, Chongjibo continued their dreadful start as the Shockwaves found Xiao-Niao Dong and the Irish impossible to beat in Chumeichang on Sunday night.

Sheshou 0–1 Nongmin
Fuchou 1–1 Xiniu
Qiji 2–1 Zhayao
Baomao 1–0 Yinying
Chongjibo 0–1 Aierlanren

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Nongmin                 2    2   0   0     4    1   +3     6
   Qiji                    2    2   0   0     4    1   +3     6
 3 Fuchou                  2    1   1   0     6    1   +5     4
 4 Zhayao                  2    1   0   1     4    2   +2     3
 5 Sheshou                 2    1   0   1     2    2    0     3
 6 Aierlanren              2    1   0   1     1    2   −1     3
 7 Baomao                  2    1   0   1     1    3   −2     3
 8 Xiniu                   2    0   1   1     2    4   −2     1
 9 Chongjibo               2    0   0   2     1    3   −2     0
10 Yinying                 2    0   0   2     0    6   −6     0

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 3

Friday night was where we saw the best football played, as Zhayao and Chongjibo kicked things off with a cracking two-three result that featured Kian Zhi Yuan scoring the league's first-ever hat trick in Qiawutian. Meanwhile, at the Huangse Migong, Di Na Deng continued her horrific start to the year as the Wizards took top spot courtesy of another Ma Huan Yep passing masterclass. The next day, Aierlanren and Sheshou played to a standstill at the Sha Dadao (Jiu Ling Geng and Xiao Niao Dong were once again impenetrable). And Xiniu continued their surprisingly adequate start to the year by stealing a point late against the Black Cats, the match played in Chumeichang. On Sunday afternoon, the same venue hosted the final fixture of the weekend: Nongmin and Fuchou's dour nil-nil affair that left both teams' positions in the table unchanged.

Zhayao 2–3 Chongjibo
Yinying 0–2 Qiji
Aierlanren 0–0 Sheshou
Xiniu 1–1 Baomao
Nongmin 0–0 Fuchou

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Qiji                    3    3   0   0     6    1   +5     9
 2 Nongmin                 3    2   1   0     4    1   +3     7
 3 Fuchou                  3    1   2   0     6    1   +5     5
 4 Sheshou                 3    1   1   1     2    2    0     4
 5 Aierlanren              3    1   1   1     1    2   −1     4
 6 Baomao                  3    1   1   1     2    4   −2     4
 7 Zhayao                  3    1   0   2     6    5   +1     3
 8 Chongjibo               3    1   0   2     4    5   −1     3
 9 Xiniu                   3    0   2   1     3    5   −2     2
10 Yinying                 3    0   0   3     0    8   −8     0

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 CASARAN ROUND 1

Chongjibo's miserable start to their first ever domestic season continued in the cup as the Black Cats embarrassed the Shockwaves in Chumeichang on Friday night - Tan Hung Xun scored a screamer on 43 minutes to make it three nil before the break. Simultaneously, Sheshou and Aierlanren traded blows at the Sha Dadao in a match that the Irish probably felt they ought to have won after dominating the possession battle, but Tak Hing Jin's second half individual goal saved a point for the Marksmen (just). On Saturday night at the Huangse Migong, Nongmin's strong start to the year continued as they smothered a late Blue Rhinos comeback with a 82nd-minute Chong Xian Ye goal. Then, on Sunday afternoon, at the same stadium, hopeless Yinying managed to do something they've failed to do thus far in the league (score a goal), but Kuang Yin Cao redeemed his team's questionable defending by netting a brace to move the Miners into the winners half of the next round draw. Lastly, on Sunday night in Qiawutian, two aspiring league champions cautiously sparred in the cup, but the difference in the end was the Wizards' defense, which has been surprisingly strong this year. (The loser, if there was one, was Yue Hsieh, who yet again missed a chance which would, if she'd held her nerve, have brought the Avengers level in the 74th minute.)

Chongjibo 0–3 Baomao
Sheshou 2–2 Aierlanren
Xiniu 1–3 Nongmin
Yinying 1–2 Zhayao
Fuchou 0–1 Qiji
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              G W L D GF GA  GD SoS SoV Pts
 1     Baomao 1 1 0 0  3  0  +3   0   0   3
 2    Nongmin 1 1 0 0  3  1  +2   0   0   3
 3       Qiji 1 1 0 0  1  0  +1   0   0   3
 4     Zhayao 1 1 0 0  2  1  +1   0   0   3
 5    Sheshou 1 0 0 1  2  2  +0   1   1   1
 6 Aierlanren 1 0 0 1  2  2  +0   1   1   1
 7     Fuchou 1 0 1 0  0  1  -1   3   0   0
 8    Yinying 1 0 1 0  1  2  -1   3   0   0
 9      Xiniu 1 0 1 0  1  3  -2   3   0   0
10  Chongjibo 1 0 1 0  0  3  -3   3   0   0

Next Round Schedule

Baomao v Zhayao
Nongmin v Qiji
Sheshou v Yinying
Aierlanren v Fuchou
Xiniu v Chongjibo

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 4

The Marksmen and the Avengers both played in front of their home fans on Friday night at the Sha Dadao, but it was only Fuchou fans who went home happy as Yue Hsieh seemed to reverse her bad karma by getting things off to a great start with her wonderful 4th-minute header from outside the penalty area. The Farmers were clinging to a one nil lead the next day in the same stadium, but Tan Hung Xun curled in a lovely free kick in stoppage time to steal a point for Baomao. That night, a dauntless Xiniu continued a three-game league unbeaten (and also winless) run as they punished a first-place Qiji side that should have been in clear water after their first half showing (but Lan Fang Fen scored the 67th-minute equalizer). Finally, Sunday afternoon featured a game in Chumeichang and a game in Qiawutian. The Shockwaves won the former against bottom-dwellers Yinying - a much needed result after their humiliation in the Zhen Li Jiang Cup - though they did struggle to dominate in the way they ought to have. The Miners looked to be on track to snatch a result in the latter after Kuang Yin Cao's early penalty, but their shaky defense let them down when Aierlanren began to ask questions of them in earnest, and the Irish eventually strolled to a victory that moved them into the IFCF places.

Sheshou 0–3 Fuchou
Baomao 1–1 Nongmin
Qiji 1–1 Xiniu
Chongjibo 1–0 Yinying
Aierlanren 4–1 Zhayao

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Qiji                    4    3   1   0     7    2   +5    10
 2 Fuchou                  4    2   2   0     9    1   +8     8
 3 Nongmin                 4    2   2   0     5    2   +3     8
 4 Aierlanren              4    2   1   1     5    3   +2     7
 5 Chongjibo               4    2   0   2     5    5    0     6
 6 Baomao                  4    1   2   1     3    5   −2     5
 7 Sheshou                 4    1   1   2     2    5   −3     4
 8 Zhayao                  4    1   0   3     7    9   −2     3
 9 Xiniu                   4    0   3   1     4    6   −2     3
10 Yinying                 4    0   0   4     0    9   −9     0

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 5

A Friday night doubleheader saw two of the clubs struggling against relegation playing at home. A point would have suited both, but neither obtained it. In Chumeichang, the Shadows were unable to recover from a 22nd minute goal scored off a corner by Jiu Ling Geng and stayed in last with no points and no goals. Meanwhile, at the Sha Dadao, Zhayao should have been trailing three nil at half time, and would have been were it not for Tak Hing Jin's poor finishing, but Jin ultimately curled in the winner in stoppage time to move the Marksmen into mid-table. On Saturday afternoon in Qiawutian, Fuchou made it two league wins in a row as Su Chen Yuen and Yue Hsieh scored a goal apiece, and though the Avengers' defense looked dubious at times, they kept the Black Cats off the score sheet and moved into first. That night, at the Huangse Migong, Qiji failed to climb back into top spot as they coughed up an early Chong Xian Ye tap-in and could only equalize in the second half. Finally, Sunday afternoon saw "away" side Chongjibo grow steadily in confidence as they rose to fifth courtesy of a Jen Ta Jin brace that put the struggling Blue Rhinos to the sword.

After five matchdays, a clear bottom three of Xiniu, Yinying, and Zhayao is emerging, with all three outfits in hopeless form. Two of them are winless (the Blue Rhinos and the Shadows), while the remaining club (the Miners) have lost four in a row. One will obviously survive, but it seems already virtually certain that two of them will be relegated.

That same clarity is totally absent at the top. Three teams remain unbeaten (Fuchou, Qiji, and Nongmin), while a fourth has won three consecutively (Chongjibo) and a fifth is unbeaten since an opening day defeat (Aierlanren). Who will emerge as the title favorite is unknown, though Fuchou's attacking efficiency obviously draws the eye first.

Yinying 0–1 Aierlanren
Zhayao 0–1 Sheshou
Fuchou 2–0 Baomao
Nongmin 1–1 Qiji
Xiniu 0–2 Chongjibo

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Fuchou                  5    3   2   0    11    1  +10    11
 2 Qiji                    5    3   2   0     8    3   +5    11
 3 Aierlanren              5    3   1   1     6    3   +3    10
 4 Nongmin                 5    2   3   0     6    3   +3     9
 5 Chongjibo               5    3   0   2     7    5   +2     9
 6 Sheshou                 5    2   1   2     3    5   −2     7
 7 Baomao                  5    1   2   2     3    7   −4     5
 8 Zhayao                  5    1   0   4     7   10   −3     3
 9 Xiniu                   5    0   3   2     4    8   −4     3
10 Yinying                 5    0   0   5     0   10  −10     0

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 6

In Chumeichang on Friday night, we had the league's first true top-of-the-table clash, with Qiji testing themselves against a favored Fuchou (who they had beaten three weeks earlier in the Zhen Li Jiang Cup). They failed that test, as Ma Huan Yep lost track of his marker for the first Avengers goal and conceded a penalty for the second. Meanwhile, at the Sha Dadao, the Black Cats hammered the Marksmen three to one, the only incident of note being that Tak Hing Jin's very late consolation goal probably should have been ruled out for offside (it had, of course, zero effect on the result). The next day in Chumeichang, Nongmin scored first against Chongjibo, but the Shockwaves mounted an inspiring second-half comeback (Kian Zhi Yuan was particularly good as he notched two assists). On Saturday night in Qiawutian, Pei Hsi Dai's early red card was an early bad omen for Zhayao, and though the Miners did somehow register the game's first goal while short-handed, the Shadows recovered to score their first goals of the league campaign and collect three points. Finally, on Sunday afternoon at the Sha Dadao, the Irish extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to six with a drubbing of Xiniu, with Lao Che Cai continuing his appalling start to the year for the Blue Rhinos as he scored an own goal. His atrocious league form, in conjunction with his poor quarterfinal performance in the Baptism of Fire, may put his national team place in jeopardy.

Qiji 1–2 Fuchou
Sheshou 1–3 Baomao
Chongjibo 2–1 Nongmin
Zhayao 1–2 Yinying
Aierlanren 4–1 Xiniu

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Fuchou                  6    4   2   0    13    2  +11    14
 2 Aierlanren              6    4   1   1    10    4   +6    13
 3 Chongjibo               6    4   0   2     9    6   +3    12
 4 Qiji                    6    3   2   1     9    5   +4    11
 5 Nongmin                 6    2   3   1     7    5   +2     9
 6 Baomao                  6    2   2   2     6    8   −2     8
 7 Sheshou                 6    2   1   3     4    8   −4     7
 8 Zhayao                  6    1   0   5     8   12   −4     3
 9 Xiniu                   6    0   3   3     5   12   −7     3
10 Yinying                 6    1   0   5     2   11   −9     3

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 CASARAN ROUND 2

On Friday night in Qiawutian, two local clubs at the top of the Casaran table squared off. The match looked like it was going to be a real shootout at first, as the Black Cats scored in the fourth minute and Zhayao scored two minutes later. In the end, though, the game settled into a defensive slug-fest (Tan Hung Xun won Woman of the Match for her organizing efforts). Meanwhile, at the Huangse Migong, Chong Xian Ye's excellent diving header was all the Farmers needed to see off Qiji, and it put them in first place in the Casaran. The next evening, the Shadows made it two wins in two across all competitions as they shocked Sheshou on the road, with Chen Ling grabbing a hat trick. On Sunday afternoon at the Sha Dadao, Aierlanren's outstanding form continued as they sent the Avengers a big, loud wake up call (though Jiu Ling Geng did score an unfortunate late own goal that turned the final minutes into a bit of squeaky bum time for the Irish). And in Chumeichang, Chongjibo won, again - and Kian Zhi Yuan was great, again - though the team were poor in spells, again - however, they got there in the end... again. The Blue Rhinos, for their part, are probably now out.

Baomao 1–1 Zhayao
Nongmin 1–0 Qiji
Sheshou 1–3 Yinying
Aierlanren 3–2 Fuchou
Xiniu 1–2 Chongjibo
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              G W L D GF GA  GD SoS SoV Pts
 1    Nongmin 2 2 0 0  4  1  +3   3   9   6
 2     Baomao 2 1 0 1  4  1  +3   7  13   4
 3     Zhayao 2 1 0 1  3  2  +1   7  13   4
 4 Aierlanren 2 1 0 1  5  4  +1   1   1   4
 5    Yinying 2 1 1 0  4  3  +1   5   3   3
 6       Qiji 2 1 1 0  1  1  +0   6   0   3
 7  Chongjibo 2 1 1 0  2  4  -2   4   0   3
 8    Sheshou 2 0 1 1  3  5  -2   7   4   1
 9      Xiniu 2 0 2 0  2  5  -3   9   0   0
10     Fuchou 2 0 2 0  2  4  -2   7   0   0

Next Round Schedule

Nongmin v Baomao
Zhayao v Aierlanren
Qiji v Yinying
Chongjibo v Sheshou
Fuchou v Xiniu

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 7

The league returned to the forefront this weekend after a brief break for the cup. Friday night kicked us off as always, and in a huge relegation clash, Xiniu secured a big first win of the year in Chumeichang (the Blue Rhinos fans were going nuts when Lan Fang Fen scored the insurance goal to put the three points on ice). Also at the Huangse Migong, on Saturday afternoon Nongmin played as well as anyone has against the high-flying Irish in quite a while, and will perhaps feel they ought to have won as Zong Yuan Ti missed an 85th-minute penalty. Later that day in Qiawutian, Fuchou hosted Chongjibo in a big top three clash. Hey, remember when we were saying Chongjibo were in crisis? Yeah, us neither. The Shockwaves leveled the Avengers as Kian Zhi Yuan scored twice, and the Pink and Gray are now in first. On Sunday night, two games occurred simultaneously. The first, at the Sha Dadao, saw the Wizards score twice in the first twenty minutes and keep themselves in the title hunt (though Hang Ki Tan's late headed goal from a corner sure made them nervous). The second, at the Huangse Migong, was a rematch of the cup match a week prior, and a contest between the country's two most right-wing clubs. Could the Shadows do it again and stun the Marksmen? "No" was the emphatic answer as Sheshou dominated possession and scored twice in the second half. That win moved the All-Whites into sixth place.

Xiniu 3–1 Zhayao
Nongmin 1–1 Aierlanren
Fuchou 0–3 Chongjibo
Baomao 1–2 Qiji
Yinying 0–2 Sheshou

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Chongjibo               7    5   0   2    12    6   +6    15
 2 Fuchou                  7    4   2   1    13    5   +8    14
 3 Aierlanren              7    4   2   1    11    5   +6    14
 4 Qiji                    7    4   2   1    11    6   +5    14
 5 Nongmin                 7    2   4   1     8    6   +2    10
 6 Sheshou                 7    3   1   3     6    8   −2    10
 7 Baomao                  7    2   2   3     7   10   −3     8
 8 Xiniu                   7    1   3   3     8   13   −5     6
 9 Zhayao                  7    1   0   6     9   15   −6     3
10 Yinying                 7    1   0   6     2   13  −11     3

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 8

Zhayao were by far the better side in Friday night's lone match at the Sha Dadao, which is why Nongmin were so delighted when speedy attacking full back Ju Yi Pao got what appeared to be the necessary against-the-run-of-play goal in an 83rd minute snatch-and-grab... but the home side, in the midst of a desperate relegation dogfight, showed real guts by going back in front five minutes later. On Saturday evening there were two contests. In the first game, played in frigid but dry conditions in Qiawutian, third hosted second with both teams able to go top with a victory. The Irish prevailed in a tight and defensive affair, with Jiu Ling Geng getting the winning goal on a header from a corner. Simultaneously, the Shadows hosted the Blue Rhinos in chilly Chumeichang in a true relegation six-pointer, and it was Xiniu who emerged with the win after Lan Fang Fen netted a brace (that's three goals in two games for him). The next afternoon in Qiawutian, an inconsistent Sheshou came from behind to defeat Qiji, with Tak Hing Jin's two second half goals cancelling out Kee Tian's 37th minute opener. Finally, needing a win to move back into first, Chongjibo formally moved into top gear at home at the Huangse Migong in the evening game. The nation's two most left-leaning clubs were squaring off for the first time since the Black Cats shocked the Shockwaves in the first round of fixtures in the Zhen Li Jiang Cup, and the home side avenged that loss in style in front of a packed house, running up a four-nil lead before Baomao nicked a late consolation goal.

Zhayao 2–1 Nongmin
Aierlanren 1–0 Fuchou
Yinying 1–2 Xiniu
Sheshou 2–1 Qiji
Chongjibo 4–1 Baomao

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Chongjibo               8    6   0   2    16    7   +9    18
 2 Aierlanren              8    5   2   1    12    5   +7    17
 3 Fuchou                  8    4   2   2    13    6   +7    14
 4 Qiji                    8    4   2   2    12    8   +4    14
 5 Sheshou                 8    4   1   3     8    9   −1    13
 6 Nongmin                 8    2   4   2     9    8   +1    10
 7 Xiniu                   8    2   3   3    10   14   −4     9
 8 Baomao                  8    2   2   4     8   14   −6     8
 9 Zhayao                  8    2   0   6    11   16   −5     6
10 Yinying                 8    1   0   7     3   15  −12     3

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 9

With a third of the season in the books, things are starting to look the way we thought they would at the start of the year, with the Shockwaves at least two matchdays clear of the next best follower (the strong but not-quite elite Avengers). At the bottom, it's clear that the Blue Rhinos, the Shadows, and the Miners are the teams in trouble. One will survive, but surely two of the three are going down.

The action kicked off with two Friday night games. In Qiawutian, somebody finally cracked the Irish code, and it was - perhaps surprisingly - the Black Cats. Aierlanren were frustrated with the result, though, as they felt the two early-second-half penalties that resulted in Baomao's two goals were a bit soft. The Irish tried to mount a comeback but only got half of the goals they needed for a point. Meanwhile in Chumeichang, two local clubs with leftist bona fides faced off. Qiji desperately needed a win to avoid drifting into mid-table, but their opponents were Chongjibo, and the Shockwaves were just too dominant. The next evening at the Huangse Migong, the Farmers were the beneficiaries of a Chun Lan Shao 48th-minute red card, and they eventually strolled to a two nil win. On Sunday afternoon at the Sha Dadao, Zhayao looked to have resolved some of their crippling defensive problems at the break, but Run Ming Kwan must have delivered a stellar half time team talk, because Fuchou grabbed two in quick succession after the restart and by the time Kuang Yin Cao clawed one back in stoppage time, it was too late. Finally, on Sunday night in Chumeichang, Xiniu tried to continue their adequate run, and played decently at times against Sheshou, but in the end Tak Hing Jin grabbed two more goals to add to his tally (he's second only to Kian Zhi Yuan in the Golden Boot race), and the Marksmen climbed into fourth.

Baomao 2–1 Aierlanren
Qiji 0–1 Chongjibo
Nongmin 2–0 Yinying
Fuchou 2–1 Zhayao
Xiniu 1–2 Sheshou

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Chongjibo               9    7   0   2    17    7  +10    21
 2 Fuchou                  9    5   2   2    15    7   +8    17
 3 Aierlanren              9    5   2   2    13    7   +6    17
 4 Sheshou                 9    5   1   3    10   10    0    16
 5 Qiji                    9    4   2   3    12    9   +3    14
 6 Nongmin                 9    3   4   2    11    8   +3    13
 7 Baomao                  9    3   2   4    10   15   −5    11
 8 Xiniu                   9    2   3   4    11   16   −5     9
 9 Zhayao                  9    2   0   7    12   18   −6     6
10 Yinying                 9    1   0   8     3   17  −14     3

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 CASARAN ROUND 3

On Friday night in Chumeichang, the Farmers fell two nil behind early. Hang Ki Tan did give away a penalty in the 49th minute (which Chong Xian Ye took successfully), raising Nongmin hopes that a draw was in the cards, but the Black Cats held firm for a win to move them top. The next afternoon, in Qiawutian, the Miners dashed the Irish's hopes of following Baomao to the top of the Casaran. Xiao Niao Dong lashed in a long-distance second-half goal (her first goal for club or country), but all that did was reduce Aierlanren's deficit by a third, which wasn't enough. That night, at the Huangse Migong, Qiji and Yinying each only really needed a draw as their current positions made it likely they'd both go through, and that was the result in the end, though not without some really excellent stretches of end-to-end play (Chen Ling's 11th minute goal, the first of the match, was the pick of the bunch). On Sunday afternoon in Chumeichang, the unstoppable Shockwaves torched the Marksmen four one, entirely avenging their loss in the league fixture between the two clubs on opening day. And at the Sha Dadao, Fuchou looked to have tossed away a two goal advantage and were hurtling towards a humiliating draw with the Blue Rhinos (a result that probably would have dumped the Avengers out of the cup), but Yue Hsieh refused to accept that narrative, and glided a near post winner past Lao Che Cai in the second minute of stoppage time to lift Fuchou into eighth.

Unlike the league, the table makes no sense. Baomao are top, and have dropped just two points out of a possible nine, their opponents having been the teams currently in second, third, and fourth, making their strength of victory score astronomical. Zhayao's unbeaten record remains untouched, and they're in second. In addition to those top two, Nongmin and Chongjibo have punched their tickets to the knockouts. A cluster of sides are likely to qualify, but need a point in the final round to guarantee progression (Qiji, Aierlanren, and Yinying). Fuchou might be able to get away with only a draw, but will feel more comfortable with a win. Sheshou and Xiniu, meanwhile, are in big trouble, and are likely to be the two who miss out on the quarterfinals.

Nongmin 1–2 Baomao
Zhayao 3–1 Aierlanren
Qiji 2–2 Yinying
Chongjibo 4–1 Sheshou
Fuchou 3–2 Xiniu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              G W L D GF GA  GD SoS SoV Pts
 1     Baomao 3 2 0 1  6  2  +4  19  43   7
 2     Zhayao 3 2 0 1  6  3  +3  15  31   7
 3    Nongmin 3 2 1 0  5  3  +2  11  12   6
 4  Chongjibo 3 2 1 0  6  5  +1   8   3   6
 5       Qiji 3 1 1 1  3  3  +0  13  13   4
 6 Aierlanren 3 1 1 1  6  7  -1  11  10   4
 7    Yinying 3 1 1 1  6  5  +1  12   7   4
 8     Fuchou 3 1 2 0  5  6  -1   8   0   3
 9    Sheshou 3 0 2 1  4  9  -5  14   4   1
10      Xiniu 3 0 3 0  4  8  -4  15   0   0

Next Round Schedule

Baomao v Sheshou
Zhayao v Nongmin
Qiji v Chongjibo
Aierlanren v Xiniu
Yinying v Fuchou

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 10

Two games got us started on Friday night, running at the same time, one in Qiawutian, and the other in Chumeichang. In the former match, after having controlled just about all the possession for the first quarter of an hour, the Avengers nudged their way in front via Yue Hsieh and then Su Chen Yuen doubled their advantage ten minutes later. Fuchou stayed in front for the rest of the match, but the Shadows didn't know when they were beaten, twice pulling to within touching distance of a draw. Meanwhile, in the latter match, the Farmers crushed the Blue Rhinos in front of both teams' home crowds. They scored three goals and full back Ju Yi Pao provided assists for all three from the right-hand side. The next afternoon at the Sha Dadao, the Miners got a much-needed result to pull them out of the relegation zone, Kuang Yin Cao and Pei Hsi Dai both scoring before a Tan Hung Xun free kick halved the deficit. On Sunday afternoon in Qiawutian, the Marksmen coughed up a first-minute goal (the earliest in the history of this young competition, at the 37-second mark), but actually played very well against the first-place Shockwaves. In the end, they could never find the goal they needed, though. Finally, in Chumeichang on Sunday night, Qiji laid down a template performance for how to trouble the once-untouchable Aierlanren: play the way they do. After snapping up an against-the-run-of-play opener on 13 minutes, Qiji sat back, stayed organized, and tried to hit the Irish on the break. Aierlanren did score just after half time, but they clearly wanted three points to stay within touching distance of the title race, and they just never got there.

Chongjibo are four points clear in the title race, having won nine in a row across all competitions. Fuchou are within touching distance, but somebody will have to put up some kind of fight against the Shockwaves to get them back in the mix. The upcoming list of fixtures offers the potential for just that, with third-place Aierlanren hosting the Pink and Gray in Qiawutian. That should be the best viewing next weekend.

Fuchou 3–2 Yinying
Nongmin 3–0 Xiniu
Baomao 1–2 Zhayao
Sheshou 0–1 Chongjibo
Qiji 1–1 Aierlanren

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
01 Chongjibo              10    8   0   2    18    7  +11    24
02 Fuchou                 10    6   2   2    18    9   +9    20
 3 Aierlanren             10    5   3   2    14    8   +6    18
 4 Nongmin                10    4   4   2    14    8   +6    16
 5 Sheshou                10    5   1   4    10   11   −1    16
 6 Qiji                   10    4   3   3    13   10   +3    15
 7 Baomao                 10    3   2   5    11   17   −6    11
 8 Zhayao                 10    3   0   7    14   19   −5     9
09 Xiniu                  10    2   3   5    11   19   −8     9
10 Yinying                10    1   0   9     5   20  −15     3

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 11

The venue was the Sha Dadao, the time was Friday night, and the spoils were taken by the away side. Qiji started the season so well, but when you're winless in four across all competitions - as the Wizards were heading into this clash - you tend to slip off the radar. In the aftermath of a dominant two-nil win, though... a win that takes you back up into third... and people start to take notice again. In a simultaneous match over in Chumeichang, Nongmin's tough defense met Sheshou's sputtering attack. So the Farmers won easily, right? Well, see, the team with the good defense also has to have a capable attack, and the Gray and Red's strikers simply weren't at it this evening. The next afternoon, still here in Chumeichang, Xiniu had a terrible case of deja vu, as they seemed to be on course to hold on for a nil-nil bore draw at the Huangse Migong, but once again had to watch Yue Hsieh curl a wonder strike past Lao Che Cai in stoppage time to win it, just as she had two weeks earlier in the Zhen Li Jiang Cup. That night in Qiawutian, we had the luxury fixture, with third hosting first in the forms of Aierlanren and Chongjibo respectively. The game promised much, but in the end was somewhat dull. Kian Zhi Yuan scored in the 18th minute and the Shockwaves simply possessed the Irish to death after that.

On Sunday afternoon we had - perhaps surprisingly - the most entertaining (and final) match of the weekend, as the Shadows played host to the Black Cats in Chumeichang. With no love lost between the two sets of supporters (Yinying being a far right club and Baomao a far left one), the atmosphere was buzzing, and when Chun Lan Shao headed in the first goal of the game from a 38th-minute corner, the home fans went ballistic. So too did they lose their minds when Chen Ling doubled their advantage four minutes later on a counter-attack. It seemed like the Shadows were on course to get a vital second win of the league season, but Baomao showed incredible determination in the second half, scoring twice and avoiding a defeat that would have put them closer to the relegation zone that they would have been comfortable with. Even with the point, the Black and Brown are still only three points north of the drop.

Zhayao 0–2 Qiji
Nongmin 0–0 Sheshou
Xiniu 0–1 Fuchou
Aierlanren 0–1 Chongjibo
Yinying 2–2 Baomao

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
01 Chongjibo              11    9   0   2    19    7  +12    27
02 Fuchou                 11    7   2   2    19    9  +10    23
 3 Qiji                   11    5   3   3    15   10   +5    18
 4 Aierlanren             11    5   3   3    14    9   +5    18
 5 Nongmin                11    4   5   2    14    8   +6    17
 6 Sheshou                11    5   2   4    10   11   −1    17
 7 Baomao                 11    3   3   5    13   19   −6    12
 8 Zhayao                 11    3   0   8    14   21   −7     9
09 Xiniu                  11    2   3   6    11   20   −9     9
10 Yinying                11    1   1   9     7   22  −15     4

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 12

They'd won ten in a row across all competitions, so when the Shockwaves played host to the embattled Miners on Friday night at the Huangse Migong, it was supposed to be a leisurely stroll. Instead, Chongjibo ran straight into the fury of Pei Hsi Dai, who refuses to let go of control of her own career narrative. Dai was outstanding. She scored the opening goal of the match in the 40th minute, then spent the second half wrecking the Shockwaves' pretty passing moves before scoring again, assisted by false nine Kuang Yin Cao. Chongjibo would eventually claw one back, but it wasn't enough to draw level. A friendly rivalry between these two left-leaning clubs is blossoming, as their first two meetings have been cracking contests. The next afternoon, also in Chumeichang, a resurgent Qiji were also supposedly assured winners, but they too did not finish their chances, and the protestations that Chen Ling was offside when she scored the winner on 84 minutes were ignored by the officials. Credit to the Shadows, though... they stayed organized and hoped that a chance would eventually come. Since it ultimately did, Yinying are unbeaten in two (and the last time they lost, they actually played quite well). Can the Plum and Black dig their way out? In Qiawutian, that night, the third relegation struggler played, trying to keep pace with Zhayao and Yinying, and it started well for them as they won a 38th minute penalty. But Xiniu's hosts, Baomao, had something to play for too (they aren't far away from the drop themselves), and keeper Ji Ning sent the Black Cats' home fans into dreamland by coming up with a brilliant save to his right. That changed the momentum of the game, and Baomao were two nil up by the 80th minute. Xiniu would halve the deficit, but still lost (deservedly).

The next evening at the Sha Dadao, hosts Fuchou had a chance to reduce the gap between themselves and the leaders to a single point. But the pressure of the task got to them, and visitors Nongmin coasted to a somewhat surprising win, towed along by the force of nature known as Chong Xian Ye, who scored two and is not far off the lead in the Golden Boot race. Finally, in a rare Monday night game, Sheshou took on Aierlanren in both sides' home city of Qiawutian. The Marksmen took an early lead via Tak Hing Jin, but then fell behind as the Irish scored twice in quick succession just before half time. It must have been some half time team talk from Liangde He, though, as Sheshou were by far the better side after the restart. Aierlanren defended relatively well, but it seemed inevitable that the Marksmen would equalize. They finally did on 75 minutes.

Chongjibo's lead atop the League of the Two Sapphires stays at four points. Fuchou are in second, themselves three points clear of third place Nongmin. Aierlanren are (just barely) clear of a mid-table pack in fourth, which is the last IFCF place available to Naixese teams.

Chongjibo 1–2 Zhayao
Qiji 0–1 Yinying
Baomao 2–1 Xiniu
Fuchou 0–2 Nongmin
Sheshou 2–2 Aierlanren

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
01 Chongjibo              12    9   0   3    20    9  +11    27
02 Fuchou                 12    7   2   3    19   11   +8    23
 3 Nongmin                12    5   5   2    16    8   +8    20
 4 Aierlanren             12    5   4   3    16   11   +5    19
 5 Qiji                   12    5   3   4    15   11   +4    18
 6 Sheshou                12    5   3   4    12   13   −1    18
 7 Baomao                 12    4   3   5    15   20   −5    15
 8 Zhayao                 12    4   0   8    16   22   −6    12
09 Xiniu                  12    2   3   7    12   22  −10     9
10 Yinying                12    2   1   9     8   22  −14     7

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 CASARAN ROUND 4

Friday night kicked us off, but it was a dull affair at the Sha Dadao. It surely was an opportunity for the Black Cats to win the Casaran section outright, but they were unobtrusive in the first half, clearly concerned about Tak Hing Jin's direct dribbling capabilities. They were awarded a soft penalty on 54 minutes, which they converted, but the Marksmen eventually equalized. Baomao stayed top, but only by a hair and with others still to play. On Saturday evening, also in Qiawutian, the Miners looked to still be high on their league win over Chongjibo a week prior when they scored in the fifth minute. Savvy Nongmin clawed their way back into it, though, maintaining a high press and willing the Zhayao defenders to make mistakes. They did, and the Farmers scored in the 19th minute, and just before half time. It looked as though the Miners had tossed the result away... had they, though? Pei Hsi Dai was once again stellar, scoring twice in the second half and constantly ruining Nongmin's build-up play. Zhayao won, guaranteeing themselves top seed for the following knockout rounds (an outcome that will surely lose one or two bookies a princely sum). Meanwhile, in Chumeichang, it was clear that the "hosts" Qiji were not so much trying to win as they were trying not to lose. This, as we all know, is a recipe for disaster. The Shockwaves destroyed the Wizards, Jen Ta Jin registering a hat trick before the half time whistle was blown. Chongjibo couldn't quite catch the shock Casaran winners Zhayao, but they'll take a respectable second, which means they'll face Qiji again in their quarterfinal. The next afternoon at the Sha Dadao in Qiawutian, Aierlanren knew that a point would do against very-nearly-already-out Xiniu. They almost didn't get it, though, as the Blue Rhinos showed a surprising bit of character by going two nil up from a Lan Fang Fen brace. It took a furious period of attacking pressure in the final fifteen to score in the 84th and 89th minutes. Better late than never, and the Irish stamp their ticket to the quarterfinals, while the Blue Rhinos crash out. Finally, on Sunday night at the Huangse Migong, both the Shadows and the Avengers already knew they were through, which led to the game feeling rather like a friendly. Still, though, Yue Hsieh put on a good display, scoring a brace. Her two goals bracketed a meaningless but artistically stunning effort from Chen Ling, who carved a path through the Fuchou defense to give Yinying some honor in defeat. The Shadows are, after all, still through.

Baomao 1–1 Sheshou
Zhayao 3–2 Nongmin
Qiji 0–4 Chongjibo
Aierlanren 2–2 Xiniu
Yinying 1–2 Fuchou
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              G W L D GF GA  GD SoS SoV Pts
 1     Zhayao 4 3 0 1  9  5  +4  23  53  10
 2  Chongjibo 4 3 1 0 10  5  +5  15  21   9
 3     Baomao 4 2 0 2  7  3  +4  27  57   8
 4    Nongmin 4 2 2 0  7  6  +1  23  15   6
 5     Fuchou 4 2 2 0  7  7  +0  14  15   6
 6 Aierlanren 4 1 1 2  8  9  -1  19  21   5
 7       Qiji 4 1 2 1  3  7  -4  25  22   4
 8    Yinying 4 1 2 1  7  7  +0  22  10   4
09    Sheshou 4 0 2 2  5 10  -5  26  13   2
10      Xiniu 4 0 3 1  6 10  -4  26   5   1

Quarterfinals
* Team listed first plays at home in first leg

(8) Yinying v (1) Zhayao
(7) Qiji v (2) Chongjibo
(6) Aierlanren v (3) Baomao
(5) Fuchou v (4) Nongmin

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 13

We return to league action this weekend, and we started off two games on Friday night. The first was a significant upset at the Sha Dadao, as Tak Hing Jin scored in the 36th minute and the Marksmen held firm for the next hour. The result skyrockets the All-Whites into the top half. The second, at the Huangse Migong, was also an upset (albeit a slightly less surprising one as Baomao have lost just once in their last six games across all competitions), as the Black Cats recovered from allowing an equalizer just before half time to score a 72nd minute winner. On Saturday afternoon in Qiawutian, the Miners' winning streak came to an abrupt end as the Irish tore Zhayao's vulnerable defense wide open. That night, in Chumeichang, the Shadows will feel really aggrieved by the three one scoreline, as Chen Ling scored in the 13th minute and Yinying were the better team for huge portions of the game. But the house of cards collapsed in the final fifteen minutes, as Chongjibo found goals in the 79th, 83rd, and 85th minutes. The next afternoon, also at the Huangse Migong, we had our final game of the weekend, as Xiniu scored in the 8th minute and then conceded four minutes later. They seemed to realize they had a good thing going with the scores level, and simply parked the bus (successfully) for a hour plus.

Fuchou's loss, combined with Chongjibo's win, means the gap at the top extends to seven. In the game of musical chairs to determine who finishes in the IFCF spots, it's currently Fuchou, Aierlanren, and Sheshou, in that order.

Fuchou 0–1 Sheshou
Nongmin 1–2 Baomao
Zhayao 1–4 Aierlanren
Yinying 1–3 Chongjibo
Xiniu 1–1 Qiji

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
01 Chongjibo              13   10   0   3    23   10  +13    30
02 Fuchou                 13    7   2   4    19   12   +7    23
 3 Aierlanren             13    6   4   3    20   12   +8    22
 4 Sheshou                13    6   3   4    13   13    0    21
 5 Nongmin                13    5   5   3    17   10   +7    20
 6 Qiji                   13    5   4   4    16   12   +4    19
 7 Baomao                 13    5   3   5    17   21   −4    18
 8 Zhayao                 13    4   0   9    17   26   −9    12
09 Xiniu                  13    2   4   7    13   23  −10    10
10 Yinying                13    2   1  10     9   25  −16     7

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 14

Friday night brought us two great examples of controlling a football match, albeit from two very different footballing styles. On a toasty summer night in Qiawutian, Aierlanren were their usual selves (that is, a brick wall) as Xiao Niao Dong scored her first league goal for the Irish at the start of the second half and then she and her team went anti-football and parked the bus for the next 45 minutes. The result moved the Irish into second place, at least temporarily. Simultaneously, at the Huangse Migong, the Shockwaves blasted Xiniu into smithereens, as Jen Ta Jin scored twice in the first half and then Kian Zhi Yuan also got a brace in the second half. All throughout, Chongjibo utterly dominated the possession battle, pressing high and creating chance after chance. The next evening in Qiawutian, the Avengers scored in the fifth minute, clearly desperate to do something about their inconsistent form over the past month. But once again, their mental frailties and defensive set-piece routine were liabilities, as Tan Hung Xun scored twice for Baomao in the second half, once from a penalty and once from a free kick. The Black Cats then scored an insurance goal in the 86th and that settled it. Baomao are rapidly accelerating away from the relegation spots and Fuchou tumble down the table.

On Sunday afternoon in Chumeichang, the warm sun rays shining down, it was a day of bliss for Farmers fans. Their Silver and Red were always the better team versus Qiji, but the experienced Wizards defense held firm through the first hour. Kee Tian scored against the run of play in the 57th minute, which made it look like his struggling club might get a vital three points, but the Farmers stayed calm and scored in the 64th and 70th minutes to (deservedly) get those points instead. Zong Yuan Ti must receive particular plaudits because though he did not score, he was a constant source of trouble for Qiji, and he assisted both Nongmin goals. Finally, on Sunday night at the Sha Dadao, Sheshou had a chance to go third with a win, and Tak Hing Jin's 51st minute effort probably should have given them one. The Marksmen's keeper managed to give away a penalty in the 61st minute, though, which Kuang Yin Cao converted, and the Miners moved one point further away from the drop.

At the league's halfway point, Chongjibo are eight big points clear of everyone else. Aierlanren sit in second behind the presumptive champions, but there are four teams within four points of them, in hot pursuit. At the bottom, Yinying are six points away from safety; ninth-place Xiniu are three points away.

Aierlanren 1–0 Yinying
Chongjibo 4–0 Xiniu
Baomao 3–1 Fuchou
Qiji 1–2 Nongmin
Sheshou 1–1 Zhayao

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
01 Chongjibo              14   11   0   3    27   10  +17    33
02 Aierlanren             14    7   4   3    21   12   +9    25
 3 Nongmin                14    6   5   3    19   11   +8    23
 4 Fuchou                 14    7   2   5    20   15   +5    23
 5 Sheshou                14    6   4   4    14   14    0    22
 6 Baomao                 14    6   3   5    20   22   −2    21
 7 Qiji                   14    5   4   5    17   14   +3    19
 8 Zhayao                 14    4   1   9    18   27   −9    13
09 Xiniu                  14    2   4   8    13   27  −14    10
10 Yinying                14    2   1  11     9   26  −17     7

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 15

Friday night brought us two simultaneous matches once more. Qiawutian gave us a tantalizing mid-table clash between Baomao and Sheshou, and while the Marksmen were probably the better team, all things considered, the Black Cats will be proud of their defensive efforts (particular praise must go to Hang Ki Tan who was the the right place at the right time for a vital goal line clearance in stoppage time), and a point was mostly satisfying for both clubs. Simultaneously, Chumeichang's big two clubs squared off at the Huangse Migong. It could have been a true shocker, as the Farmers were stellar in the first half and Zong Yuan Ti's 28th minute outside-of-the-box volley will go down as one of the goals of the season, but the Shockwaves managed to equalize just after half time and it was destined to be a split decision from there. The next day, also in Chumeichang, the Shadows allowed Kuang Yin Cao to just stroll in behind for one of the softest goals ever scored in the young Naixese top flight - and in the first minute, to boot. But Yinying weren't just about to let another relegation struggler just walk all over them, and Chen Ling got herself a rare headed goal in the 67th minute to register the weekend's third one-all draw. On Sunday afternoon, again at the Huangse Migong, the Irish knew that Chongjibo's dropping of points meant they could close the gap, and they showed uncharacteristic attacking intent to go and score twice in the first fifteen minutes. The only hiccup during their victory was Xiao Niao Dong's unfortunate second-half own goal, which luckily for Aierlanren had no bearing on the final result. Lastly, on Sunday night, Fuchou played poorly but still will look back on Yue Hsieh's 37th-minute missed penalty as a chance to keep the pace with Chongjibo and Aierlanren, a chance they failed to capitalize upon as the match finished scoreless.

Baomao 1–1 Sheshou
Nongmin 1–1 Chongjibo
Yinying 1–1 Zhayao
Xiniu 1–2 Aierlanren
Fuchou 0–0 Qiji

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
01 Chongjibo              15   11   1   3    28   11  +17    34
02 Aierlanren             15    8   4   3    23   13  +10    28
 3 Nongmin                15    6   6   3    20   12   +8    24
 4 Fuchou                 15    7   3   5    20   15   +5    24
 5 Sheshou                15    6   5   4    15   15    0    23
 6 Baomao                 15    6   4   5    21   23   −2    22
 7 Qiji                   15    5   5   5    17   14   +3    20
 8 Zhayao                 15    4   2   9    19   28   −9    14
09 Xiniu                  15    2   4   9    14   29  −15    10
10 Yinying                15    2   2  11    10   27  −17     8

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 QUARTERFINAL LEG 1

Friday night offered us action on two simultaneous fronts. Let's stick with the clash in Qiawutian first. It looked like a horror show for Aierlanren as Ji Ning saved a fifth minute penalty from a silly and ineffective chip, then booted the ball down to the other end where the Black Cats took the lead. Luckily for the Irish, they righted the ship and scored just before half time. It's still all to play for between the three seed and the six seed. Meanwhile, at the Huangse Migong on a warm but breezy night, Kuang Yin Cao's special first half free kick was the difference between Yinying and Zhayao, and the Shadows will have to head to the Sha Dadao in four weeks time having made a mess of the home leg. Honestly, it was a miracle they even progressed to the quarters. The next evening, in Chumeichang, an unforgettable first half hour led to a very forgettable final hour, as Jen Ta Jin scored on a breakaway in the 3rd minute, then Qiji scored in the 5th and 18th minutes to take the lead, then the Shockwaves equalized on 24 minutes with a brilliant team goal, and then Jin bagged himself a brace in the 27th minute. After that, Xiao Cheng Li made a rare move towards a defensive style in order to try and stay ahead for good, and it worked. Qiji are probably out, but never say never. Finally, on a hot Sunday afternoon, the Avengers at last turned in a performance of high quality. They'll only feel that they should have won by more. Yue Hsieh was great, scoring twice (once in each half), but her teammates could have (and ought to have) killed the tie. Instead, the Farmers are (barely) still alive.

Aierlanren 1–1 Baomao
Yinying 0–1 Zhayao
Qiji 2–3 Chongjibo
Fuchou 2–0 Nongmin

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 16

The Sha Dadao provided accommodations for our first fixture of the weekend, a Friday night showdown between a Sheshou team trying to punch their way back into the IFCF spots and a Yinying side desperately trying to find some way to get off the bottom of the table. The Shadows started well, keeping the first half scoreless and then nudging in front just after half time. But Tak Hing Jin, in the midst of a great season, was simply not going to be denied, and his brace put the Marksmen third. The next afternoon, two games were held simultaneously. The first match, in Qiawutian, was a relegation clash between Zhayao and Xiniu. The referees played a major part in the match, chalking off Guan Cai Tsung's 24th minute tap-in goal from a corner (for offside), then awarding the Miners two penalties before the half time whistle blew (both of which Kuang Yin Cao converted). The Blue Rhinos would pull one back, but then Pei Hsi Dai made it three one on 86 minutes, and that killed the tie. The second match, in Chumeichang, was a much anticipated mid-season showdown between the two most potent attacks in the league. So, naturally, it was a bore draw. For Chongjibo, it'll be a decent point against one of the league's better outfits, but for Fuchou, it's five league games in a row without a win.

The next day, with the warm autumn sun shining down, Aierlanren hosted Nongmin at the Sha Dadao. The Irish knew they could close the gap on the Shockwaves if they won, and it sure looked like they were going to for the first hour. Xiao Niao Dong clobbered one of her trademark long shots off the bar in the 42nd minute and then hit the post in the 52nd before blasting one off the underside of the crossbar and in in the 57th. But the Farmers stayed cool under pressure, and equalized in stoppage time to snatch a point most neutrals would say they didn't deserve. Finally, on Sunday night, two mid-table lefty clubs went head to head at the Huangse Migong. The Wizards scored just after half time, but the Black Cats would steal the show by drawing level from a well-executed corner routine that ended with Hang Ki Tan heading a great shot past the Qiji keeper in the 79th minute.

Sheshou 2–1 Yinying
Zhayao 3–1 Xiniu
Chongjibo 0–0 Fuchou
Aierlanren 1–1 Nongmin
Qiji 1–1 Baomao

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
01 Chongjibo              16   11   2   3    28   11  +17    35
02 Aierlanren             16    8   5   3    24   14  +10    29
 3 Sheshou                16    7   5   4    17   16   +1    26
 4 Nongmin                16    6   7   3    21   13   +8    25
 5 Fuchou                 16    7   4   5    20   15   +5    25
 6 Baomao                 16    6   5   5    22   24   −2    23
 7 Qiji                   16    5   6   5    18   15   +3    21
 8 Zhayao                 16    5   2   9    22   29   −7    17
09 Xiniu                  16    2   4  10    15   32  −17    10
10 Yinying                16    2   2  12    11   29  −18     8

[Naixi]

SEASON 1 MATCHDAY 17

It was a poor weekend for goalkeepers (but a great one for neutral viewers) as not a single team kept a clean sheet. We begin, as always, on Friday night, when we had a single match in Chumeichang. It ultimately will go down as one of the classic contests in the early history of the League of the Two Sapphires, and so it's a true tragic irony that it was between two outfits that almost certainly won't be in the division next year. Xiniu drew first blood, scoring in the 4th minute as Di Na Deng misread a cross and provided an easy tap in to a Blue Rhinos striker. The Shadows responded instantly, drawing level just five minutes later. It seemed like the early flurry of action had scared both teams into a more defensive approach for the rest of the first half, but after the restart the game opened up. In the 52nd minute, Chen Ling slipped in behind and finessed a ball past Lao Che Cai's outstretched leg. Six minutes later, Yinying doubled their advantage. Despite the early lead, it looked as though Xiniu were going to get drubbed. They refused to give up, though. Guan Cai Tsung nodded a header in on 77 minutes, and then the last fifteen minutes were a frenzy. The goal finally came from a free kick, with Lan Fang Fen dipping a ball under the crossbar deep into stoppage time, securing a well-earned point for the Blue Rhinos.

The rest of the weekend felt underwhelming after that. On Saturday night, we had two simultaneous games. In the first, at the Sha Dadao, Yue Hsieh was an unrelenting menace, scoring twice and blasting holes in the much-acclaimed Irish defense. Credit to Aierlanren for even staying in the game. Meanwhile, in Chumeichang, it was scoreless for the first hour but then Kee Tian's composed finish in a one-on-one with the Marksmen's keeper broke the deadlock. Sheshou equalized ten minutes later, but Qiji got themselves back in front in the 84th minute to win. On Sunday afternoon in Qiawutian, Chongjibo had the chance to extend their lead to nine points (following the Irish's loss), and they did not bottle it, running up a three nil scoreline before Hang Ki Tan pulled one back on a set piece. Finally, on a pleasantly warm Sunday night at the Huangse Migong, Nongmin could have gone third, but the visitors (Zhayao) saw an opportunity to move two points further away from the drop, and they took it. The Miners were two nil up in the first 25 minutes, and the Farmers only made it close because of Chong Xian Ye's thunderbolt into the postage stamp on 59 minutes.

Xiniu 3–3 Yinying
Fuchou 3–2 Aierlanren
Qiji 2–1 Sheshou
Baomao 1–3 Chongjibo
Nongmin 1–2 Zhayao

                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
01 Chongjibo              17   12   2   3    31   12  +19    38
02 Aierlanren             17    8   5   4    26   17   +9    29
 3 Fuchou                 17    8   4   5    23   17   +6    28
 4 Sheshou                17    7   5   5    18   18    0    26
 5 Nongmin                17    6   7   4    22   15   +7    25
 6 Qiji                   17    6   6   5    20   16   +4    24
 7 Baomao                 17    6   5   6    23   27   −4    23
 8 Zhayao                 17    6   2   9    24   30   −6    20
09 Xiniu                  17    2   5  10    18   35  −17    11
10 Yinying                17    2   3  12    14   32  −18     9