Written by Cheng Shan Ahead of the second round of the second half of the CSL season, the Tianjin Tigers were greeted with a mix of good and bad news. The good news was that the club's general manager and head coach Yu Genwei, along with several players, had completed contract renewals. The bad news came the day after the renewal announcement, when Yu Genwei was banned from entering the stadium for five matches by the Chinese Football League for insulting a referee in the previous round. As a result, he could only direct the team remotely for the match against Shenzhen Peng City. However, with the team united in purpose, the Tigers secured a 3-0 home victory over their opponents, climbing off the bottom of the standings for the first time this season, making their relegation prospects look brighter.

Improved Efficiency in Open Play

This season, a key issue for the Tianjin Tigers has been how to arrange their forward line. Chitine was signed after the team was deducted 10 points, with the club hoping that adding more foreign strikers would boost goal-scoring efficiency and help them secure more wins to escape relegation risks.

However, by the halfway point of the season, Yu Genwei had still not found the ideal front-line combination. The team struggled to score, especially in open play, and in most matches, they found themselves trapped in a dilemma of failing to convert chances from regular play.

During the pre-match press conference, assistant coach Esterhu said: "Everyone is very clear about the team's situation. The team is currently very united, and we know that only this way can we overcome difficulties. We have to fight for this city, execute the head coach's demands, show our fighting spirit, and present the best side to the fans."

Against Shenzhen Peng City, all three of the Tigers' goals came from open-play combinations, marking a breakthrough for them.

In the 26th minute, Barton delivered a penetrating long pass from the middle of the right flank. The ball accurately bypassed Shenzhen Peng City's defense, and the fast-charging Chitine received it, calmly slotting the ball past the rushing goalkeeper to break the deadlock. The goal followed a simple pattern: a long pass followed by a finish, relying on Chitine's ability to seize the opportunity. He had similar chances before, but this time, his improved understanding with Barton and his composure in front of the goal helped the team take the lead.

After the match, Chitine said the victory meant a lot: "From the first day I arrived at the team, I felt the cohesion of this group. Everyone gave their all in this match."

In stoppage time of the second half, the Tigers scored two more goals: Hadas netted from a zero-angle shot, and Ji Shengpan added a third to seal the game. The 3-0 win was the Tigers' second home victory of the season, and all three goals came from open play.

In the previous away match against Tongliang Long, the Tigers had been inefficient in attack for most of the game, but in this match, they capitalized on their opportunities.

Seeing Hope for Survival

After the away loss to Tongliang Long in the previous round, the Tigers had only five points, while third-from-bottom Qingdao Hainiu beat Yunnan Yukun 4-2, leading to renewed external speculation that the Tigers were "doomed for relegation." Following that match, an unpleasant incident occurred, and on the 3rd, Yu Genwei received a heavy penalty from the Chinese Football Association: a five-match stadium ban. Combined with a red card he received, Yu Genwei was suspended for a total of six games.

Yu Genwei's inability to coach from the sidelines was a heavy blow to the Tigers. However, in the first match of his suspension, the players turned in a completely different performance, showing that he still had control over the team despite not being on the bench.

For the match against Shenzhen Peng City, Yu Genwei was serving a red-card suspension, which allowed him to enter the stadium. Through his translator Wu Jia, who wore an earpiece, he relayed tactical and personnel adjustments to assistant coach Esterhu on the bench.

In the post-match press conference, Esterhu dedicated the victory to Yu Genwei and all the fans. He noted that for the next five matches, Yu Genwei, Esterhu, and the translator would need to communicate instantly via earpiece to make adjustments based on the game's flow.

This situation recalls that of head coach Zheng Zhi, who was suspended for eight matches and could not coach from the sidelines from the 10th to the 17th round. However, his team's results did not decline; they remained unbeaten and recently achieved three consecutive wins across two competitions, rising to fifth place in the standings.

After defeating Shenzhen Peng City, the Tigers earned three points. In the same round, Wuhan Three Towns lost to Yingbo after a comeback, leaving both teams with eight points. Thanks to a superior goal difference, the Tigers moved off the bottom of the table for the first time this season. Although they are still in the relegation zone, the team has at least glimpsed hope for survival.