Congratulations to the Chengdu Blades! China Super League… here we come       The Blades will be playing top flight football in 2008… and that’s official. 2007 may not have been a great year for Sheffield football, but 5,000 miles away in Chengdu the Blades are still celebrating. Last weekend the curtain came down on Chengdu Blades’ memorable season which culminated in promotion to the China Super League. The celebrations took place inside the Chengdu Sports Centre and the streets of the famous city as players, management and fans joined together. The Blades lost just once on the way to finishing second in the China Jia League and had the best defensive record. Meanwhile, a combined total of 30 goals from the strike partnership of captain, Wang Song, and Brazilian, Rodrigues, was also a major contribution. Crowds of over 30,000 in the final two home games of the campaign also bode well when the Super League kicks-off in 2008. But, whilst the players are currently enjoying a deserved rest, we look back on their tremendous season…     Step by step… 31 March: Chengdu Blades 6-0 Harbin Yiteng Chengdu get off to the best possible start with an emphatic home victory over Harbin with Wang Song bagging a brace. Four goals in the second-half boosted the early goal difference. Also on target were Xia Yao, Cheng Liu, Rodrigues, Xinming Zhao.   7 April: Nanchang Bayi 0-1 Chengdu Blades Chengdu make it two from two, with a single goal victory, and cemented their position amongst the early pacesetters. The only goal of the game comes from skipper Wang Song.   14 April: Chongqing Lifan 0-1 Chengdu Blades The Blades are victorious in the Sichuan derby, with the winner coming from the first attack of the game. After just four minutes, Yao Xia nets with a perfectly placed shot after beating three defenders.     21 April: Guangzhou Guangyao 0-0 Chengdu Blades Chengdu secure a goal-less against their main promotion rival, a point well gained after the sending-off of Gan Yingbo. The Blades have a couple of chances to win the game, Wang Song hits the crossbar and Yao Xia shoots wide from a good position.   5 May: Chengdu Blades 2-0 Beijing Hongdeng The Blades secure another three points in the quest to stay amongst the promotion pack. Goals from Wang Song and Min Jin secure victory for Chengdu, who make it five clean sheets in succession for goalkeeper, Fu Bin.   12 May: Nanjing Yo Yo 0-0 Chengdu Blades A sixth successive clean but the poor conditions and negative tactics by Nanjing limit the amount of possession for the Blades and goalscoring opportunities are at a premium.   19 May: Chengdu Blades 3-0 Qingdao Hailifeng The Blades extend the unbeaten run to seven matches and the defence continues to shut out the opposition. A Rodrigues brace, either side of a Yao Xia smart finish ensures a comfortable victory.     26 May: Tibet Huitong 1-2 Chengdu Blades Chengdu secure three points to keep the pressure on league leaders Guangzhou, despite conceding their first league goal of the season. Zhao Xinming and Ivory Coast striker Sourae are on target.   2 June: Chengdu Blades 4-0 Yanbian The Blades extended their unbeaten start with the demolition of Yanbian at the Longguann Stadium. The game had been moved to prepare the Chengdu Sports Center for the Women’s World Cup. Rodrigues and Wang Song each grab a brace.   16 June: Shanghai Stars 1-3 Chengdu Blades Chengdu’s comfortable victory in Shanghai keeps the pressure on the leaders, Guangzhou, who, incidentally, only draw at Beijing Aigo. The Blades are never in much danger against the Stars and Wang Song’s hat-trick secures three more points.   23 June: Chengdu Blades 5-1 Beijing Aigo The Blades thrash Beijing to give their promotion push some momentum heading into the mid-season break. Ding Qi opens the scoring before Beijing reply. The hosts then take command with goals from Wang Cun, Zhou Wei, Wang Song and Rodrigues.   30 June: Jiangsu Shuntian 1-1 Chengdu Blades Chengdu close out the first half of the China Jia League season with a hard fought point away to Jiangsu Shuntian.  Liu Cheng gives the Blades the lead but but Jiangsu equalise six minutes later from the penalty spot following Sourae’s foul.   4 August: Harbin Yiteng 1-3 Chengdu Blades The Blades return from their one-month summer break, by recording a resounding 3-1 victory over Harbin, which sends them to the top of the league. Goals from Yao Xia, Rodrigues and Wang Song give Chengdu an unassailable lead before Yiteng scores a consolation goal late on.   11 August: Chengdu Blades 1-1 Nanchang Bayi Wang Song’s last minute strike rescues a point and in the process maintains their proud unbeaten record. Goalkeeper Fu Bing is named man of the match for the Blades, following an excellent performance.     18 August: Chengdu Blades 1-1 Chongqing Lifan The Sichuan derby ends in stalemate after Wesley’s 75th minute strike cancels out Wang Kai’s opener for Lifan. The equaliser is a precise finish to ensure another point on the road to promotion.   25 August: Chengdu Blades 1 -2 Guangzhou Guangyao The Blades suffer a massive setback in the race for the title after losing to closest rivals Guangzhou Guangyao. Min Jin finds the target for the Blades but it proves not enough.   8 September: Beijing Hongdeng 0-2 Chengdu Blades Over 200 Blades supporters make the 30-hour train journey to give their team some extra vocal backing and it pays. Min Jin and Wesley’s goals sends the fans home happy.   15 September: Chengdu Blades 6-1 Nanjing Yo Yo Chengdu assert their superiority and never look back after opening up a 3-0 lead in the opening 30 minutes through Ding Qi, Rodrigues and Wang Song. Half-time substitute Zhou Wei bags a brace, before Jiang Xiaoyu notches his first professional goal to make it six.   22 September: Qingdao Hailifeng 0-2 Chengdu Blades A Wang Song double guarantees three more valuable points in a testing encounter against Qingdao. A wonderful strike in the 50th minute by Song is followed by a composed finish.     29 September: Chengdu Blades 3-0 Tibet Huitong Chengdu are awarded a 3-0 victory after Tibet are unable to complete the fixture. Tibet are also unable to fulfill subsequent fixtures and therefore other Jia League teams are also awarded 3-0 successes.   6 October: Yanbian 1-2 Chengdu Blades Chengdu move to within a point of promotion thanks to Rodrigues’ last minute winner securing all three points against Yanbian. In the 10th minute Kamate fires home the opener after a long weaving run, only for Yanbian to equalise moments later.   13 October: Chengdu Blades 4-2Shanghai Stars The Blades seal promotion to the Chinese Super League following their resounding victory over Shanghai in front of over 30,000 spectators. Two goals apiece from Rodrigues and Wang Song secure the three points needed.   20 October: Beijing Aigo 1-1 Chengdu Blades Brazilian striker Rodrigues scores a second-half equaliser as the Blades secure a well earned point in their penultimate game. Chengdu fall behind in the 24th minute but they aren’t to be denied, though, and in the 58th minute draw level through Rodrigues, after being set up by Wang Song.   27 October: Chengdu Blades 0-0 Jiangsu Shuntian A record attendance of 36,000 sees the Chengdu Blades finish the season with a goal-less draw against Jiangsu Shuntian as the promotion party begins. After the game the Blades embark on a lap of honour to thank the fans for the magnificent support throughout the season.     Total      Player          Team 17    Song Wang  Chengdu  13    Rodriguez    Chengdu 4          Xia Yao     Chengdu 2      MX Zhao      Chengdu 2          Minjing      Chengdu 1         cheng       Chengdu

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