2017 Dalian Yifang F.C. season

As of 1 July 2017^[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  CHN Zhang Chong 2 DF  CHN Wang Wanpeng (vice captain) 3 DF  CHN Cao Xuan 4 DF  CHN Li Shuai 5 DF  ARG Jonathan Ferrari 6 MF  CHN Zhu Xiaogang 7 MF  CHN Li Zhendong 8 MF  CHN Zhu Ting (captain) 9 FW  ZIM Nyasha Mushekwi 10 FW  CIV Yannick Boli 11 MF  CHN Sun Guowen 12 DF  CHN Zhou Ting 13 DF  CHN Wang Yaopeng 14 MF  CHN Qu Xiaohui 15 MF  CHN Jin Qiang

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 FW  CHN Yan Peng 19 GK  CHN Yu Ziqian 20 MF  CHN Wang Jinxian 21 MF  CHN Liu Yingchen 23 GK  CHN Chen Junlin 24 MF  CHN Han Xu 26 MF  CHN Cui Ming'an 27 DF  CHN Shan Pengfei 28 DF  CHN Du Yuxin 29 MF  CHN Sun Bo 30 DF  CHN Han Xuegeng 32 DF  CHN Dong Yanfeng 33 FW  CHN Zhao Xuebin 36 FW  CHN Dong Honglin

• Zhu Ting was no longer the captain after his suspension, Wang Wanpeng was responsible for the rest of the season.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 41 GK  CHN Sun Wancheng 42 GK  CHN Li Xinyu 43 MF  CHN Li Zhen 44 DF  CHN Wang Qianshuo 45 DF  CHN Fu Yuncheng 47 MF  CHN Yuan Hao 49 DF  CHN Zhang Yuning

No. Pos. Nation Player 50 FW  CHN Xie Hui 51 MF  CHN Liu Yang 52 MF  CHN Song Xiaoyu 53 MF  CHN Zhao Zaiping 54 MF  CHN Meng Xiangbin 55 MF  CHN Tian Lianbin 58 MF  CHN Wang Junhao

As of 2017 season^[2]

Position	Name
Head coach	Juan Ramón López Caro
Assistant coach	Lorenzo Antolinez
Goalkeeping coach	Han Wenhai
Fitness coach	Cédric Thyus
Team doctor	Ramón Marín
Technique coach	Abdelkader Charii
Youthcoach	Pei Yongjiu

It's been reported that they have met with Samuel Eto'o,^[3] but finally signed Yannick Boli from Anzhi Makhachkala.^[4] For domestic players, Sun Guowen, who claimed his contract with Aerbin was illegal and refused to renew it,^[5] has returned after the local court judged the contract to be valid.

No.	Pos.	Name	Age	Moving from	Type	Transfer Window	Transfer fee	Notes	Ref.
12	DF	Zhou Ting	38	Beijing Guoan	Transfer	Winter	—	—	[6]
21	MF	Liu Yingchen	24	Dalian Transcendence	Transfer	Winter	—	—	[6]
24	MF	Han Xu	28	Dalian Transcendence	Transfer	Winter	€1.35M	—	[6]
5	DF	Jonathan Ferrari	29	Club Atlético Patronato	Transfer	Winter	—	—	[7]
10	FW	Yannick Boli	29	Anzhi Makhachkala	Transfer	Winter	Undisclosed	—	[4]
	DF	Duan Yunzi	22	Shenyang Urban	Loan Return	Winter	—	—
	MF	Constantin Budescu	26	Astra Giurgiu	Loan Return	Winter	—	—

No.	Pos.	Name	Age	Moving to	Type	Transfer Window	Transfer fee	Notes	Ref.
11	FW	Mohamed Bangura	26	Dalkurd FF	Released	Winter	—	—	[8]
32	DF	Eddy Francis	21	Boavista	Transfer	Winter	—	—	[9]
22	MF	Seykou Oliseh	27	—	Released	Winter	—	—
	MF	Constantin Budescu	26	Astra Giurgiu	Transfer	Winter	—	—	[10]
	MF	Zhang Hui	23	Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic	Loan	Winter	—	—
	MF	Duan Yunzi	23	Shenyang Urban	Loan	Winter	—	—
46	MF	Yang Fangzhi	22	Dalian Transcendence	Loan	Summer	—	—
48	MF	Wu Yuyin	27	Yinchuan Helanshan	Loan	Summer	—	—	[11]

Dalian Yifang signed Spanish manager Juan Ramón López Caro before the season.^[12] The team will aim to gain promotion back to the Super League.^[13]

Juan Caro brought an effective strategy based on high pressing, long pass and quick counterattack, while the team significantly improved defence tactics by signing Jonathan Ferrari and Zhou Ting. Dalian Yifang achieved four consecutive winnings at the beginning of the season, and won 8 matches out of the first 10. By May, they were the team with the best defense, with only 5 goals conceded.

After beating Shenzhen F.C. on 7 May, Dalian Yifang went top for the first time within 708 days, since they led the league at the beginning of 2015 season.^[14] During the match, Shenzhen F.C. player Wang Dalong committed a rude foul to Nyasha Mushekwi,^[15] causing considerable damage to his right leg.^[16] After a 4–0 victory against Yunnan Lijiang F.C. on 18 June, Yifang ensured its position as the Summer Champion, with two matches yet to compete.

During the match with Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard, Mushekwi scored the 100th goal since the team was occupied by Dalian Yifang.^[17] The gap between them and Beijing Renhe came to 9 points after the match, but was reduced to 2 points after losing the second-leg match with Beijing Renhe, and their record of remain undefeated for 18 matches in a row was also terminated.

Yannick Boli scored the first hat trick in squad this season against Shanghai Shenxin on 23 September.

After winning the derby against Dalian Transcendence on 15 October, Yifang ensured a promotion back to the Chinese top-tier league, after competing 3 seasons (1078 days approximately) in China League One.^[18] Congratulatory messages were sent by both Dalian municipal government^[19] and Sun Xishaung, owner of the team.^[20] On 21 October, as Beijing Renhe was beaten by Hohhot Zhongyou, Dalian Yifang was led to the league title.

Dalian Yifang U17 Team claimed the title of 2017 China League One elite reserve team league on 21 November(Chinese: 2017中甲俱乐部精英梯队联赛).^[21]

Fixtures as of 24 February 2017.^[22] Some fixtures may be adjusted if necessary.

	Date	Time		H/A	Opponent	Res.F–A	Att.	Goalscorers and disciplined players		Location	Stadium	Report
								Dalian Yifang	Opponent
1	11 Mar	Saturday	15:00	A	Meizhou Hakka	2–0	6,855	Wang Wanpeng 39' Sun Guowen  43' Nyasha Mushekwi 60' Jin Qiang  63'	Gibril Sankoh  57' Luo Xi  87'	Meizhou	Wuhua County Stadium	[23]
2	16 Mar	Thursday	19:00	A	Beijing BG	2–0	4,152	Jin Qiang  23' Mushekwi 60', 63'	Cheick Tioté  6' Zou Zhongting  57'	Beijing	Olympic Sports Centre (Beijing)	[24]
3	2 Apr	Sunday	15:30	H	Zhejiang Yiteng	1–0	18,021	Yannick Boli 36' Zhu Ting  68'	Liu Yue  58' Hao Qiang  72' Li Xin  74'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[25]
4	9 Apr	Sunday	15:30	H	Qingdao Huanghai	2–1	17,820	Li Shuai 2' Nyasha Mushekwi 48' Sun Guowen  78' Zhang Chong  87'	Joan Verdú 17' Fan Lingjiang  54' Zhao Shi  61'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[26]
5	16 Apr	Sunday	16:30	A	Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard	0–1	3,721	Zhou Ting  21' Yannick Boli  67' Jonathan Ferrari  75'	Wu Peng 19' Vicente  85' Arapat  86' Babacar Gueye  87' Zhou Heng  90+1' Shewket Yalqun  90+2'	Ürümqi	Xinjiang Sports Centre	[27]
6	23 Apr	Sunday	19:00	H	Wuhan Zall	1–0	16,861	Zhao Xuebin 44' Wang Jinxian  81' Mushekwi  90+1'90+2	—	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[28]
7	30 Apr	Sunday	19:35	A	Shijiazhuang Ever Bright	2–2	13,533	Cui Ming'an  36' Nyasha Mushekwi 41', 44' Li Shuai  57' Zhu Ting  60' Jonathan Ferrari  82'	Matheus 31' Wang Peng  44' Adriano 70' (pen.) Lü Jianjun  87'	Shijiazhuang	Yutong Sports Center	[29]
8	7 May	Sunday	15:30	H	Shenzhen F.C.	2–1	22,691	Nyasha Mushekwi 4', 69'89	Cui Min  10' Zhang Jiaqi  23' Tan Binliang  55' Wang Dalong  61' Preciado  66', 86' (pen.)	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[30]
9	14 May	Sunday	15:30	A	Beijing Renhe	Postponed for security of the Belt and Road forum in Beijing.[31]				Beijing	Beijing Fengtai Stadium	[32]
10	21 May	Sunday	19:00	H	Nei Mongol Zhongyou	1–0	13,221	Zhu Xiaogang 31' Jin Qiang  38' Zhou Ting  43'	Zhu Zilin  4'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[33]
11	28 May	Sunday	19:35	A	Hangzhou Greentown	1–1	4,575	Zhu Xiaogang  29' Sun Guowen  64' Wang Jinxian 75' Yannick Boli  88'	Chen Xiao  31' Tong Lei  55' Anselmo Ramon 90+3'	Hangzhou	Huanglong Stadium	[34]
12	4 Jun	Sunday	19:00	H	Shanghai Shenxin	2–2	15,231	Jonathan Ferrari  44' Nyasha Mushekwi 49'90 Yannick Boli 50' Zhu Xiaogang  55'	Biro Biro 5'  75' Gu Bin 32' Raúl Rodríguez  90+2'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[35]
13	10 Jun	Saturday	15:30	A	Dalian Transcendence	4–2	15,772	Sun Guowen 14' Jonathan Ferrari 24' Yannick Boli 54' Zhao Xuebin 87'	Hu Zhaojun 28' Ivan Božić 31'  31' Liu Yuchen  42' Zhao Yibo  45'	Dalian	Jinzhou Stadium	[36]
14	18 Jun	Sunday	19:00	H	Yunnan Lijiang	4–0	11,061	Yannick Boli 15', 62' (pen.)  49' Wang Jinxian 38' Wang Wanpeng 82'	Gao Furong  24'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[37]
15	24 Jun	Saturday	19:30	A	Baoding Yingli ETS	3–1	6,813	Nyasha Mushekwi  16' 28', 40' Sun Guowen  65' Yannick Boli 80'	John Owoeri 30' Li Yan  68' Wang Hanbing  89'	Baoding	Langfang Stadium	[38]
16	2 Jul	Sunday	19:00	H	Meizhou Hakka	1–1	15,831	Wang Jinxian  40' Yannick Boli 18' 46'  55' Wang Wanpeng  45+1' Zhou Ting  78'	Huo Liang  18' Japa  39' Yao Junsheng 57' (pen.)	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[39]
17	9 Jul	Sunday	19:00	H	Beijing BG	1–0	16,001	Li Shuai  4' Jonathan Ferrari 58'  80' Sun Guowen  90+2'	Liu Yi  81' Wen Chih-hao  90+1'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[40]
18	15 Jul	Saturday	19:00	A	Zhejiang Yiteng	1–0	2,836	Sun Bo  26' Shan Pengfei  57' Nyasha Mushekwi 73'	Wang Kai  30' Guto  70'	Shaoxing	Shaoxing China Textile City Sports Center	[41]
19	22 Jul	Saturday	19:30	A	Qingdao Huanghai	1–1	8,726	Zhu Xiaogang  6' Nyasha Mushekwi 19' Jonathan Ferrari  34' Jin Qiang  48'	Yang Yun  44' Bari Mamatil 53'	Qingdao	Guoxin Gymnasium	[42]
9	29 Jul	Saturday	19:30	A	Beijing Renhe	1–0	11,243	Zhu Xiaogang  24' Jin Qiang  51' Yannick Boli 59' Zhou Ting  66'	Luo Xin  49'	Beijing	Beijing Fengtai Stadium	[43]
20	6 Aug	Sunday	19:00	H	Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard	4–0	20,331	Jin Qiang  15' Nyasha Mushekwi 18' Yannick Boli 50', 58' Cui Ming'an 90+1'	Zhou Heng  28'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[44]
21	12 Aug	Saturday	19:30	A	Wuhan Zall	1–1	11,131	Zhou Ting 5' (pen.) Wang Wanpeng  44' Shan Pengfei  70'	Marcelo Moreno 16' Li Chao  57' Huang Bowen  86'	Wuhan	Wuhan Sports Center	[45]
22	20 Aug	Sunday	19:00	H	Shijiazhuang Ever Bright	2–2	26,126	Jin Qiang  16' Shan Pengfei  18' Yannick Boli 25' Nyasha Mushekwi 61' Zhu Ting  80'	Jiao Zhe  59' Matheus 74' Lü Jianjun  83' Jacob Mulenga 90' Shao Puliang  90+5'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[46]
23	26 Aug	Saturday	19:35	A	Shenzhen F.C.	1–0	9,291	Han Xu  18' Jonathan Ferrari  47' Wang Wanpeng 62'	Du Longquan  33'	Shenzhen	Shenzhen Stadium	[47]
24	3 Sep	Sunday	19:00	H	Beijing Renhe	0–2	28,961	Jin Qiang  23' Sun Bo  57' Yannick Boli  79'	Cao Yongjing  21' Shi Liang  31' Ivo 59' Wan Houliang 82'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[48]
25	9 Sep	Saturday	19:35	A	Nei Mongol Zhongyou	1–0	10,032	Jin Qiang  28' Nyasha Mushekwi 23' Zhou Ting  45' Zhu Xiaogang  75' Han Xu  89' Li Shuai  72'  90'	Davi 12' Zhang Tianlong  36' Duan Jieyi  90'	Hohhot	Hohhot City Stadium	[49]
26	17 Sep	Sunday	19:00	H	Hangzhou Greentown	0–1	18,631	Shan Pengfei  76' Zhu Xiaogang  90+4'	Anselmo Ramon  37' Denílson Gabionetta 61' Ge Zhen  88' Luo Jing  90+2' Zou Dehai  90+3' Denílson Gabionetta  90+4'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[50]
27	23 Sep	Saturday	15:45	A	Shanghai Shenxin	4–2	3,796	Yannick Boli 20', 81', 90' Zhou Ting 61' (pen.) Jonathan Ferrari  79' Wang Wanpeng  86' Sun Guowen  86'	Raúl Rodríguez 47' Cleiton Silva 80' (pen.)	Shanghai	Jinshan Sports Centre	[51]
28	15 Oct	Sunday	15:30	H	Dalian Transcendence	2–1	24,981	Yannick Boli  13' 14' Jin Qiang  23' Jonathan Ferrari  24' Zhu Xiaogang  45' Zhao Xuebin 81' Li Shuai  89'	Wang Hongyou 20' Fan Peipei 32' Liu Yusheng  47' Sheng Jun  89' Zhao Yibo  90+4'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[52]
29	21 Oct	Saturday	14:30	A	Yunnan Lijiang	1–0	2,781	Shan Pengfei  38' Zhou Ting  63' Yannick Boli  75' 80'	—	Lijiang	Lijiang Stadium	[53]
30	28 Oct	Saturday	14:30	H	Baoding Yingli ETS	0–1	43,159	Sun Bo  80'	Du Junpeng  43' Di You  63' John Owoeri 90+3'	Dalian	Dalian Sports Center	[54]