Another streak of five unbeaten matches boosts Guangzhou Leopard's confidence for promotion.

Reporter Wang Wei reports. Reporter Wang Wei reports: On the evening of July 11, in the 14th round of the China League One, league leaders Guangzhou Leopard faced Shijiazhuang Gongfu at Yuexiu Mountain. With two superb long-range goals from Hou Yu and Nikon, they claimed a 2-0 victory. This result gave Guangzhou Leopard their second five-match unbeaten streak in the league, keeping them solidly at the top of the table.

Before this round, the two teams had contrasting trajectories and goals: In the first 13 rounds, Guangzhou Leopard led the standings with 8 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses for 27 points, scoring 25 goals and conceding 14. Shijiazhuang Gongfu, on the other hand, managed only 2 wins, 3 draws, and 8 losses in 13 matches, scoring 7 goals and conceding 16. Without point deductions for relegation rivals, they would be at the bottom of the table.

In the previous round, Guangzhou Leopard drew away with Suzhou Dongwu, missing a chance to widen the gap. So returning home for this round, the team's sole objective was to take all three points, strengthen their top position, and lay a solid groundwork for the subsequent promotion push.

The summer window reinforcements further upgraded Guangzhou Leopard's squad. Brazilian foreigner Carlos returned to become the team's attacking fulcrum, forming a multi-dimensional offensive system with capable imports Kamara and Nikon. Although Carlos didn't score in his return debut, his active runs effectively occupied the opponent's defense, creating ample space for teammates. Foreign player Kamara's form has steadily improved; his last-minute goal in the previous round secured a crucial point for the team. After a week of rest and review, Guangzhou Leopard specifically addressed the weaknesses exposed in the last match, focusing on improving on-field concentration and the efficiency of attacking and defensive transitions, aiming to avoid careless losses and control the game's rhythm through high-intensity play.

In this match, Guangzhou Leopard's Wang Jingbin faced his former club. On the Shijiazhuang Gongfu side, Ma Junliang, who previously played for Guangzhou Leopard, joined during the summer window, while versatile defender Shan Pengfei moved from Guangzhou Leopard to Gongfu earlier this year. In this match, Shan Pengfei started for Shijiazhuang Gongfu, and Ma Junliang came off the bench in the second half.

For this match, Guangzhou Leopard's starting lineup saw some changes. Liang Xueming earned a start, forming a front three with Nikon and Carlos. Wang Jianming, Hou Yu, and Yang Hao occupied the midfield, while Xiao Kun partnered Hou Yu as a double pivot. Kamara was on the bench. Just four minutes into the game, Yang Hao was injured while dribbling on the right flank and could not continue, so Gao Huaze came on as an emergency substitute.

In the first half, Guangzhou Leopard continually attacked Shijiazhuang Gongfu's goal but couldn't score against their packed defense. After the break, Guangzhou Leopard brought on Kamara to boost the attacking firepower. In the 55th minute, Hou Yu drove the ball to the edge of the penalty area and decisively curled a shot into the far corner, giving Guangzhou Leopard a 1-0 lead. This was Hou Yu's second league goal this season. After taking the lead, Guangzhou Leopard kept up the pressure. In the 64th minute, Nikon, the team's "long-range king," unleashed a world-class strike from outside the box, sealing the score at 2-0.

After a dominant 2-0 home win over Shijiazhuang Gongfu, Guangzhou Leopard earned the desired three points, achieving their second five-match unbeaten run of the season (following the first from rounds 4 to 8) and continuing to top the China League One standings. After the match, head coach Feng Feng said: "Every game is crucial now, and each one is very tough. We had some advantage in the first half but couldn't break the deadlock. We made adjustments in the second half and secured the win with two beautiful long-range shots from Hou Yu and Nikon. Against a packed defense, long-range shooting is a way to break it down. Those two goals were truly beautiful."

Regarding Yang Hao's injury, Feng Feng said: "Yang Hao's injury was unexpected. We had hoped he could use his speed on the wing. His departure put us in a somewhat passive position, but that's part of the game. He is still undergoing examinations after the match. I hope he is okay."

In the upcoming 15th round, Guangzhou Leopard will visit Nanjing City on the evening of July 18, which is also the final match of the first half of the season.