Ghanaian striker Abdul-Aziz Yakubu found the net, but his effort proved only a consolation as Qingdao West Coast suffered a crushing 5-1 defeat to Chengdu Rongcheng FC in the Chinese Super League on Friday.
The former Rio Ave forward started and completed the full match, emerging as one of the few bright spots for his side despite the one-sided result at the Wuliangye Sports Center Stadium.
Chengdu took control early, opening the scoring just seven minutes into the game through Wellington Silva, before Egor Sorokin doubled their advantage to give the hosts a commanding lead at halftime.
The contest slipped further out of Qingdao’s reach in the closing stages, with Brazilian forward Felipe Silva stealing the spotlight by scoring a late hat-trick. He struck in the 82nd and 85th minutes before completing his treble in stoppage time to seal a dominant performance.
Amid the defeat, Yakubu stood out with his energy and attacking drive. The 27-year-old was rewarded for his persistence with a stoppage-time goal—his first for the club since joining in February 2026.
Despite the disappointing result, his performance offered a positive takeaway for Qingdao, as he continues to settle into life in the Chinese Super League.
So far this season, Yakubu has made four league appearances, contributing one goal and one assist, and will be aiming to build on that momentum in the coming matches.
