Chinese Super League: Rafa Benitez off to winning start as Arnautovic and El Shaarawy head to Shanghai
- Dalian Yifang win first game under the Spaniard with Yannick Carrasco among the scorers
- Yaya Toure’s first game for Qingdao Huanghai sees 21,000 turn up in second tier
Whatever their ambitions were at the start of the season, the halfway point is a time to reassess and bring in fresh faces to help push for the title or try to stave off relegation.
Dalian Yifang made the highest profile change so far, bringing in former Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez to replace Choi Kang-hee with the side in 10th place and having won just four of the 15 games this season.
Benitez has had an instant impact. The team have now won five games this season after he guided them to a 3-1 victory over Henan Jianye on Sunday.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid manager also managed to get a performance out of Yannick Carrasco, who had fallen out with Choi. The Belgian scored from the spot and was vital to one of Benjamin Moukandjo’s brace. Benitez’s former Napoli player, Marek Hamsik, also impressed.