In the afternoon of November 28th, a fierce battle was going on in the 32nd round of the Tangshan League. Qingdao Sea Cowboys swept away the haze with a strong performance of 7-1, defeating Xinjiang Tianshan Snow Leopard, jumping up to the second place in the table, and locking the seat of the Chinese Super League in two rounds ahead of schedule. At this moment, the Qingdao Manatees finally stepped onto the stage of the domestic top professional league again after 9 years and 3312 days of long waiting. The Qingdao Manatees, the first team in Chinese soccer history to be relegated from the Chinese Super League and then return to the Chinese Super League, finally got the most perfect release of their hard work and struggle on this day! The Peninsula reporter recorded the ups and downs of this team for nine years with his camera. Beijing Workers Stadium, November 3, 2013, Qingdao Zhongneng team 0:1 defeated Beijing Guoan, at that moment, they fell from the Chinese Super League to the Central League. At that moment, the future of Qingdao soccer was full of unknowns.
The same Workers' Stadium in Beijing, the same November 3, 2013, history repeated itself again, Qingdao Zhongneng lost 0:1 to Beijing Guoan, and fate seemed to be showing them a cruel cycle.
In 2016, Qingdao Zhongneng was relegated again, this time to the Central B. It was a season full of challenges and hopes, but also a season full of tears and sweat.
However, time is the best healer. in 2021, Qingdao Hainiu returned to the Central League as Central League B champions, and they proved themselves and the power of Chinese soccer with their strength.
On November 28, 2022, Qingdao Manatees returned to the Chinese Super League two rounds ahead of schedule. At that moment, all the waiting and hard work paid off, and all the tears turned into tears of joy.
Qingdao Hainiu, a team that has gone through trials and tribulations, has written the legend of Chinese soccer with their tenacity and perseverance.
