How to relieve worries? Newly promoted Yukun has suffered heavy blows, struggling with personnel shortages & fighting spirit unable to mask their weaknesses.

Written by/Zuo Rui After a 0-7 defeat away in the cup and a 1-5 home loss in the league, how can Yunnan Yukun overcome their crisis? The cup is now behind them, with eight league rounds remaining. If reality is not faced, and if the club, team, fans, and media fail to recognize clearly the status of a newly promoted team, the Yunnan side in the Chinese Super League will continue to suffer both internal and external troubles — a problem far more serious than a mere battle for a city or a trophy.

As a newly promoted team, Yukun currently ranks 8th with 29 points, exceeding the expectations of many insiders and veteran fans at the start of the season, stirring mixed feelings among Yunnan supporters.

Six months ago, during the crucial stage of recruiting foreign players, the newcomer Yukun faced numerous obstacles: the naturalization of Oscar unexpectedly failed, occupying one foreign player slot; Costa suffered a severe injury and never played a match, making no contribution; Martinez worked diligently but struggled to carry heavy responsibilities over half a season; Nene and Jonicha were indispensable but not top-tier in the Chinese Super League; Enrique, though often decisive, was inconsistent and difficult to rely on continuously.

The most watched player was undoubtedly the naturalized player Hou Yongyong, who, in a team lacking overall strength, almost played every position in midfield and attack. The biggest surprise was Hong Kong player Xu Hongjie, who appeared 15 times scoring 3 goals and providing 1 assist, with near flawless one-on-one defense, but unfortunately suffered a serious injury and left after the first half of the season.

Lacking heavyweight domestic players and with limited bench depth, once key players are injured, Yukun’s lineup options become very tight, especially in defense. As coach Anderson said, "The backline has hardly ever been fully available." Not only did Li Songyi and Yi Teng get injured consecutively, but even Burke, the biggest signing in the summer window, faced continuous injuries and suspensions, drawing harsh criticism and heavy penalties from the club in anger.

Despite numerous difficulties and recurring injuries, Yukun fought hard, even achieving a miracle of 6 wins and 1 draw in 7 matches across two competitions, including 4 consecutive home wins in the Super League and a 6-match unbeaten streak. What made this possible? It was the home advantage, the team’s fighting spirit and resilience. Moreover, the greatest home advantage is not altitude but the passionate support from Yunnan fans and the emerging “Plateau Spirit.” Anderson and his players have never denied this.

Tactically, given the current squad, it’s hard to imagine a fluid possession style. Anderson’s choices are quite limited: playing long balls, high pressing, and counterattacking when possible. This never-give-up, fighting-against-the-current style, and strategy of seizing every point opportunity looks thrilling on the surface, but once opponents become familiar and adapt, its effectiveness declines.

Another newly promoted Super League team, Yingbo, faces a similar situation. Their home matches draw crowds of up to 60,000, and 7 of their 8 wins have come at home; they also have 29 points. Yingbo suffered a 4-goal away defeat but also had a commanding home win over Taishan — while Yukun’s most exciting home night was the “come-from-behind 3-2” against Taishan. Regardless of whether Yukun deserved such treatment, Taishan’s current top-five standing proves the newly promoted team still falls short.

If the first home win over Hainan and the comeback victory against Henan had some luck, then reaching the FA Cup semi-finals, unprecedented for them, was pure fortune. Dingnan Ganlian, Shaanxi United, and Guangzhou Leopards are all lower-tier teams struggling on their own. Only when facing Guoan in the semi-finals did Yukun show passion and fight. Unable to reach the final, it becomes clear Yukun lacks the strength to compete on two fronts.

Competing on two fronts is not entirely meaningless. In away games at Qingdao and Beijing, red cards left them a man down early, leading to collapse, exposing the team’s enthusiasm for challenges but lack of preparation for adversity. But without such storms and trials, how can they forge a truly resilient plateau iron army?

Next, Yukun will host Yatai, who will arrive in Yunnan tomorrow (28th). Is Saturday’s home match the best chance for Yukun to win big, relieve worries, and reverse their decline? Although the opponent is bottom-ranked, they have just won two consecutive matches pulling Xinpengcheng and Meizhou closer to relegation danger. Despite home advantage, the experienced and changed visiting team comes ready to fight for survival and won’t be underestimated.

Yukun needs to thoroughly study their opponent and refine their own tactics. What matters more than this match’s result is how they will play the three home and four away games after the break. Of course, there is also the question of what to do with Yukun next season.