Wuhan Zall were given a guard of honour on the way to victory and medical staff from the city were applauded as Chinese football made a poi...
Wuhan Zall were given a guard of honour on the way to victory and medical staff from the city were applauded as Chinese football made a poignant return Saturday on following a long delay because of coronavirus.
The team from ground zero of the pandemic defeated Qingdao Huanghai 2-0 in an empty stadium in Suzhou, one of two cities hosting matches in a revamped Chinese Super League.
There was a minute’s silence before both of Saturday’s games as the campaign kicked off behind closed doors and five months late.
Qingdao’s players and captains from other teams playing in Suzhou, near Shanghai, lined up and applauded as the Zall squad came onto the pitch.
Zall, wearing their orange and white home kit, held a large banner thanking the Chinese people and honouring “anti-epidemic heroes”.
On a large screen, white writing against a black background said: “Deeply mourn the martyrs and compatriots sacrificed during Covid-19.”
Players and coaching staff of both teams, along with a smattering of others in the stands, then turned to clap a group of white-coated doctors and nurses from Wuhan.
Zall had a troubled pre-season after the central city of 11 million people was placed under a harsh lockdown in January that would drag on for 10 weeks.
During that time Spanish coach Jose...
