Ten rounds of penalty shootouts eliminate Shenhua! The "team that specializes in defiance," Henan, is back!

Written by/Gan Hui (Special Contributor), Lu Mi This is a classic match in the FA Cup: within 90 minutes, the home team took the lead, was equalized, and even lost the lead. In extra time, the home team took the lead again, only to be equalized once more. During the penalty shootout, the home team had two opportunities to secure victory, but ultimately, after the 10th round of penalties, it was the home team that was eliminated.

The eliminated home team was at the top of the league standings, while the advancing away team ranked 13th. In just over two hours, many things could happen; conversely, the gap of more than ten places on the points table does not determine the outcome of a single match.

This took place on July 23, 2025, at Shanghai Stadium, during the FA Cup quarterfinal between Shanghai Shenhua and Henan—a classic showdown worthy of being recorded in the history of the Chinese FA Cup.

In the days leading up to this match, Shenhua and its supporters experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. Last weekend, the team broke the "Workers' Stadium curse" and returned to the top of the league standings. However, in the FA Cup match against Henan at home, Shenhua not only faced a grueling battle that lasted 120 minutes but also failed to capitalize on two opportunities during the penalty shootout, ultimately losing and missing out on the FA Cup semifinals this season.

At the pre-match press conference, Henan's head coach Daniel Ramos stated, "Our focus this year is the league, so we will make some adjustments to our lineup tomorrow." In fact, this was a smokescreen, as Henan fielded a starting lineup with five foreign players, showing no reservations for the weekend league clash. Shenhua, considering the significant toll of the "Beijing-Shanghai battle," made some rotations, with Wang Haijian and Yang Zexiang appearing in the starting lineup.

Although Shenhua took the lead in the 28th minute with a left-footed shot from new foreign player Asu'e, the foreign trident from Henan's midfield posed a significant threat to Shenhua's defense after the match began. Therefore, Asu'e's goal did not shatter Henan's morale; they quickly retaliated, with the very active Cardoso equalizing the score. In the second half, Achiempong's close-range header helped Henan take a 2-1 lead. In a difficult moment, substitute Manafa scored a stunning goal, leveling the score and pushing the match into extra time.

In extra time, Shenhua actually had opportunities. First, Shenhua took the lead. This time, the goal was scored by a substitute player. In the 12th minute of extra time, Teixeira's long-range shot hit the post, and Liu Chengyu followed up to score. Secondly, based on the players' performances, Shenhua appeared to be slightly better than Henan overall. However, Henan's resilience should not be underestimated, as Cardoso helped Henan equalize at 3-3 in the final moments, dragging the match into the most brutal penalty shootout.

In the penalty shootout, Shenhua had also led twice. Henan was the first to take a penalty, and Shenhua's goalkeeper Xue Qinghao saved the first and eighth penalties from the opponents. Unfortunately, Teixeira and Xu Haoyang failed to capitalize. In the 10th round, under immense pressure, young player Liu Chengyu missed his penalty, leading to Shenhua's elimination from the penalty shootout and missing the FA Cup semifinals, while the two teams would meet again on the 27th for the 18th round of the league at Shanghai Stadium.

Being eliminated from the FA Cup in such a crazy match left Shenhua feeling aggrieved; their dream of a "double crown" was dashed. However, from another perspective, the absence of the FA Cup "distraction" could actually lighten the load for Shenhua, which still has tasks in the AFC Champions League in the second half of the season, allowing them to strategically focus on consolidating their lead in the league. After all, winning the league title is their top priority. Perhaps the most affected was Liu Chengyu, who was the last player to take the field. He had previously missed a crucial penalty in the U20 Asian Cup, and this time, he fell short at the penalty spot again, making his path at the penalty spot far from smooth.

“The ups and downs of this match are characteristic of cup competitions. In the penalty shootout, we had two opportunities to win the game, but unfortunately, we didn't capitalize on them. I apologize that my emotions are still not completely settled, making it difficult to summarize this match constructively.” The unexpected elimination from the FA Cup left Slutsky struggling to regain his composure. Indeed, anyone facing such a tumultuous match would find it hard to remain calm.

Of course, the most unsettled must be Henan.

At the moment Xu Jiamin saved Liu Chengyu's penalty, the Henan bench "went crazy," and the club staff remaining in Zhengzhou were in tears! Many people did not expect that the 13th-ranked Henan team could push the league leaders into such a predicament, let alone laugh last. For Henan fans, this night was incredibly wonderful. Not only was there an exhilarating match, but it also represented the phased success of Ramos's takeover of the team. More importantly—the defiant spirit of Central Plains football has returned.

Sitting on the edge of the relegation zone, ranked 13th, with an 8-point lead over the relegation zone, last weekend they even struggled against relegation rivals Meizhou Hakka. Yet, this seemingly underestimated team has successfully advanced to the FA Cup semifinals.

Throughout the match, Henan's team spirit, focus on the game, and the fearless Central Plains football spirit were the most moving aspects— the whole team effectively maintained the tactical framework, persevering through physical exhaustion to complete their actions, not giving up on any attack, enduring through several difficult moments until the very end.

Cardoso's last-minute goal during regular time was disallowed, which disappointed Henan fans, but he and his teammates did not let that discourage them. After conceding a goal in extra time, they equalized once again. In the previous round of the FA Cup, Henan defeated Zhejiang 3-2, thanks to Cardoso's last-minute goal. Against Shenhua, Cardoso was extremely active, scoring twice and creating multiple threats, becoming a key player in Henan's advancement, with an astonishing efficiency of 4 shots on target out of 5 attempts.

The drama of the penalty shootout followed a similar pattern. Cardoso's first penalty was saved by Xue Qinghao, but subsequent players, including the less frequently used Ye Lijiang, Zhou Yuande, and newly signed Lu Yongtao, all withstood the pressure. Even when Huang Zichang missed a penalty in the additional shootout phase, which put the team behind for the second time, Xu Jiamin stood firm behind them, helping the team turn the tide. Xu Jiamin, who got to play due to rotation, not only made several crucial saves against Shenhua's relentless attacks during regular and extra time but also saved three penalties during the high-pressure shootout, directly determining the outcome of the match.

The ups and downs over 120 minutes and falling behind twice in the penalty shootout did not break the resilient Central Plains Iron Army—indeed, one could say this is a team that Henan fans have longed for. Especially in recent times, "habitually being overturned" has become an embarrassing label that the team had to bear. However, since Ramos took over, the team's temperament has greatly improved; perhaps it was because they hadn't experienced such excitement in a long time that many staff members were moved to tears.

This is a victory for grassroots football and a victory for the unpredictability of the sport. Henan has demonstrated through their actions that in the Chinese Super League, the gap in strength is not insurmountable; as long as the tactics are appropriate and the fighting spirit is strong, any team can create miracles. This match not only ignited the passion of Henan fans but also provided a classic example for Chinese football of overcoming the odds and never giving up.