Chengdu Rongcheng was double-killed by Tianjin Jinmen Tiger this season. Xu Zhengyuan: As the head coach, I must take responsibility.

Reporter Lu Mi reports. In the first match after the break, Chengdu Rongcheng played away against Tianjin Jinmen Tiger. Recently, the team, Xu Zhengyuan, and the club have been in the midst of a media storm. The conflict between Xu Zhengyuan and the club has been laid bare, and the progress of the match against Tianjin seems to reflect the state of communication between both sides—regardless of how the team attempts to disregard external opinions, they remain influenced. In a state of fatigue from their inability to score, the mistakes they made ultimately led to their defeat in this match. The same scenario as at the beginning of the season unfolded, with the same players scoring goals, and Rongcheng also paid the price of a red card, though this time it was Wei Shihao who received it. Once again losing 1-2 to their opponents, Rongcheng dropped from third to fourth in the standings.

Facing the opponent that handed them their first defeat of the season, the internal instability within Rongcheng erupted at an unfortunate time, making the pressure on the team quite apparent.

In the starting lineup, Xu Zhengyuan made few adjustments; Wei Shihao, who returned from the national team, sat on the bench while Delgado had a rare opportunity to start. The other positions remained unchanged. In contrast, Jinmen Tiger sent out their full-strength squad, shifting to a three-center-back formation to create a dense defense against Rongcheng's front line. Playing away, Rongcheng held an advantage in the game.

Rongcheng is not facing a compact defense for the first time, but clearly, in this match, the players appeared somewhat anxious. The combination of Delgado starting alongside Felipe did not yield the desired results. Felipe frequently pulled wide and dropped back to receive the ball, but once in possession, he found no support in the front line. Despite being with the team for half a year, Delgado still seemed detached from the system. In the first half, Rongcheng managed only six shots, while Jinmen Tiger had three. Notably, Rongcheng did not earn a corner in the first half, which is quite rare in previous matches, indicating that their wing attacks failed to pose enough threat to their opponents.

For a long time, both sides were locked in a stalemate. Rongcheng struggled with their finishing ability, while Jinmen Tiger gradually regained some momentum. Just as Rongcheng was desperately seeking a scoring opportunity, the balance on the field was suddenly disrupted. In the 53rd minute, Lichete passed back to goalkeeper Liu Dianzuo, who made a huge error while distributing the ball, handing it directly to Wang Qiuming near the penalty area. Wang then caught Rongcheng's defense off guard and executed a solo shot. This situation made it very difficult for Rongcheng; their already unstable mentality was further shaken by their own mistake, complicating the match even more.

After conceding the goal, Xu Zhengyuan substituted Wei Shihao for Delgado, and made an unusual adjustment to the formation, switching to a four-defender setup. However, the players found it hard to maintain a calm mindset. Shortly after, in a three-on-one defensive situation, Zhou Dingyang recklessly tripped Gilais, leading to a penalty after referee Maimaitejiang reviewed the video. Ademi converted the penalty, changing the score to 2-0.

In the closing moments, substitute Wei Shihao became the focal point. In the 88th minute, he was pushed down by Ross in the penalty area, earning a penalty which he converted himself, bringing one goal back for Rongcheng.

However, before taking the penalty, home fans insulted his family, and after Wei Shihao retaliated, he received the first yellow card from Maimaitejiang. Five minutes later, he was sent off after stepping on opposing goalkeeper Yan Bingliang during a challenge, receiving a second yellow card. This unexpected incident at a crucial moment for the team’s scoring efforts nearly sealed their fate. After the match, Wei Shihao was inconsolable and began to cry.

After the match, Xu Zhengyuan specifically mentioned Wei Shihao, stating: “I want to talk about Wei Shihao. I don’t mean to say that it wasn’t a red card; I mean that Wei Shihao is a player for the Chinese national team, giving his all on the field. He often feels wronged and hurt, and it makes me very sad. We need to protect our players; we must often consider their actions on the field.”

Clearly, the overall performance of Rongcheng in this match was not under completely normal conditions. The players' mentality was inevitably affected, especially since the conflict between the club and the head coach had been brought to the forefront, resulting in ongoing media controversies. Xu Zhengyuan also mentioned that his statements as head coach in previous press conferences would indeed have some impact on the team, saying, “As the head coach, I must take responsibility. For Rongcheng to become a great team, we need to experience these difficulties and overcome them; we can only grow through pain. I hope the team can grow.”