The quarterfinalists are decided! Latest standings in the Su League: Nantong leads, quarterfinal matchup: Huai'an might cause an upset

On September 27, 2025, the 12 rounds of the Jiangsu City League concluded, where Lianyungang narrowly defeated bottom-placed Zhenjiang 1-0, Huai'an held Xuzhou to a surprising 0-0 draw, Yangzhou suffered a 0-2 loss to strong Yancheng, Suzhou edged out Changzhou 3-2, Wuxi drew 1-1 with leaders Nantong, and Nanjing dominated Suqian 4-0. Consequently, the final standings have Nantong first, Nanjing second, Xuzhou third, Yancheng fourth, with Changzhou and Zhenjiang at the bottom!

Lianyungang faced the consistently defeated bottom team Zhenjiang. The match was evenly contested with both sides attacking fiercely. Playing at home, Lianyungang took the lead in the 8th minute through Ji Haoxiang and maintained that advantage until the end, securing all three points with a 1-0 win while handing Zhenjiang their 11th straight loss!

Huai'an is a very distinctive team. Known for taking from the strong and aiding the weak, in the last round against Xuzhou, Huai'an displayed ironclad defense. Their goalkeeper not only heroically saved Zhao Zijie's one-on-one chance but also repeatedly protected the goal, resulting in a surprising 0-0 draw. This secured them eighth place at the last moment and kept them undefeated against the top three teams!

Yangzhou faced Yancheng. Already eliminated and out of the quarterfinals, Yangzhou confronted a far stronger Yancheng. Although Yancheng struggled to break through for much of the match, they delivered a fatal blow in the final moments, scoring two goals within 15 minutes to claim a 2-0 victory over Yangzhou!

Suzhou played against Changzhou, with both teams already eliminated from the top eight. Despite the match having little significance, it turned out to be an exciting rollercoaster. Visiting Changzhou struck first to take the lead. Suzhou then responded with two goals in ten minutes. Changzhou equalized at the last moment, but in the 94th minute of stoppage time, Suzhou scored the winning goal, sealing a dramatic 3-2 victory. Emotions ran high in an instant!

Wuxi faced Nantong. Under pressure to break into the top eight, Wuxi hosted league leaders Nantong. Nantong struck early in the 8th minute, taking control away from the hosts. Wuxi patiently searched for chances and quickly equalized early in the second half. No further goals followed, resulting in a 1-1 draw. Nantong remains unbeaten after 12 rounds and stays firmly in first place despite consecutive draws!

Nanjing played against Suqian. The disparity between the teams was huge, with Nanjing overwhelmingly dominant. They unleashed full power throughout the match, scoring four goals to crush Suqian 4-0 and firmly secure second place!

With the conclusion of the 12th round of the Su League, the final eight teams are confirmed: Nantong, Nanjing, Xuzhou, Yancheng, Wuxi, Taizhou, Lianyungang, and Huai'an. The quarterfinal matchups are Nantong vs. Huai'an, with Huai'an potentially staging an upset. Nanjing faces Lianyungang with an expected easy win, Xuzhou competes with Taizhou, and Yancheng meets Lianyungang. Matches will begin on October 4th. We look forward to thrilling contests—stay tuned!

Written by / Sports Novel