Guangzhou Leopards in a slump, the promotion contenders are also on "vacation"

Reporter Wang Wei reports The top-of-the-table battle in the China League One on the evening of May 29 ended in a 0-0 draw between Guangzhou Leopards and Shenzhen Youth after a hard-fought 90 minutes. Both teams have slowed their pace in accumulating points, but with a round full of draws, Youth and Leopards continue to occupy the top two positions on the standings.

The match between Guangzhou Leopards and Shenzhen Youth was decisive for the league lead and the direction of the promotion race, and it was intense from the opening whistle. To address issues from the previous match where Yanbian Longding repeatedly broke through their defense, Guangzhou Leopards head coach Feng Feng made two adjustments in central defense and left wing-back positions, deploying Liu Bin as the left wing-back and Liu Langzhou making his first start as a center-back. The immediate effect: Liu Langzhou's quick turning and speed were showcased, strengthening the defensive line; left-footed Liu Bin, known for his pace and dribbling, formed a successful connection with Camara.

From a defensive standpoint, Guangzhou Leopards were successful in this match, as Shenzhen Youth managed only five shots throughout the game, none of which were on target. After the match, Feng Feng praised the team's defensive performance: "We made some tactical changes in this game, focusing on defense. Looking at the whole match, the defense was very successful, giving the opponent few opportunities."

While the defense was solid, Guangzhou Leopards struggled with the final touch. In this Guangdong derby, the Leopards had 13 shots, five on target, but failed to convert any into a goal. After the match, Feng Feng said: "It's a pity on the offensive end. We created many chances but couldn't secure a win. We need to find our rhythm again."

Throughout the game, Guangzhou Leopards' attackers Toudouly and Camara both had opportunities to seal the win, but they missed the target at the crucial moment. This issue needs improvement in training and possibly through signing a strong scorer in the secondary transfer window, as it affects the team's promotion ambitions. Feng Feng commented: "The promotion race is just entering its intense phase, and it will only get tougher. Every team is improving their cohesion, and we've seen many changes. We need to make more adjustments in both attack and defense, including optimizing player combinations, to perform well in the upcoming matches."

This Guangdong derby was also the top-of-the-table clash in the China League One. To prepare for this match, Shenzhen Youth arrived in Guangzhou a day early, and during the game, the club's investors and players not in the squad cheered from the stands. The high-profile match also drew the attention of U23 national team head coach Antonio, who made his third visit to Yuexiushan Stadium this season to watch the game live.

After the match, both the club management and coaching staff of Shenzhen Youth expressed satisfaction with their defensive performance. Head coach Ramello stated: "To be honest, I don't care much about the rankings. I just focus on whether we performed well. In football, sometimes the result matters—win or lose—and sometimes the process. But the key is to nail the details. If we repeat the good things over and over, we can win games."

Regarding the promotion task this season, Ramello said: "From the start, I told the boss that I can't guarantee we will be promoted, but I can guarantee we will solve the problems in daily training, prepare thoroughly before each match, and strive to win as many games as possible. We have very strict training requirements, and we must try to perfect the details, because how we handle details in matches determines where we stand. We may win many games, or we might only get a draw like tonight, or even lose as we did before. But we will analyze these games to see where we fell short and what we can continue to do well."

After this round, Guangzhou Leopards have gone three matches without a win, with their pace of gaining points clearly stalling. Shenzhen Youth recorded their first 0-0 draw of the season, but they still top the standings with 22 points, while Guangzhou Leopards sit in second place with 20 points.

The two teams maintain their positions because the promotion race suddenly hit a pause button. Only two of the eight matches in this round produced a winner: Wuxi Wugo beat Suzhou Dongwu 3-1 away in the Jiangsu derby, and Nanjing City defeated Shaanxi Union 1-0 away. Among the top six teams in the standings after nine rounds—including the two Guangdong sides—Nantong Zhiyun, Yanbian Longding, Guangxi Hengchen, and Dingnan Ganlian each only gained one point.

After round 10, the China League One enters a short break. In round 14, scheduled for June 13, Guangzhou Leopards will face Dingnan Ganlian away, Shenzhen Youth will host Guangxi Hengchen, and Nantong Zhiyun will host Yanbian Longding—all tough battles ahead.