Reporter Lu Mi reporting On the afternoon of the 19th, the 27th round of the Chinese Super League took place at Dalian Suoyu Bay Football Stadium. Wuhan Three Towns, under the intense pressure from almost 60,000 fervent home supporters, and struggling with main player absences and a stifled offense, relied on the 21-year-old goalkeeper Guo Jiayu’s outstanding saves and the team’s resilient defense to force a 0-0 draw with Dalian Pro, halting their three-match losing streak. After this match, Wuhan Three Towns have 25 points; although theoretically still at risk of relegation, they lead the drop zone by 7 points with 3 rounds remaining, making survival within reach.

Injuries and setbacks, pushing forward with difficulty

Key striker Tudorie did not travel with the team, and the injury list cast a shadow over Three Towns’ away trip. Head coach Deng Zhuoxiang was forced to start with four foreign players, hoping core players like Park Ji-su and Shao'er could carry the team, but before the match even began, a major blow occurred when Liao Chengjian, originally in the starting lineup, got injured during warm-up. Deng had to adjust the lineup last minute, putting Ren Hang in defense. Then at the 12th minute, the already fragile defense suffered again as main wing defender Deng Hanwen was injured in a challenge and replaced by Wang Yi, leaving the entire defense on shaky ground.

Taking advantage of their home ground, Dalian Pro applied constant pressure. At the 4th minute, Liu Zhuren’s shot was blocked by Guo Jiayu but hit the post; at the 11th minute, Zhu Pengyu’s close-range attempt was bravely blocked by defenders; Mamadou’s long-range lob just grazed the crossbar and went over. The defense was repeatedly breached by the opponent’s attacks, and it seemed only a matter of time before Three Towns conceded.

Due to Tudorie’s absence, Palacio was forced to play as the central striker, tasked with both holding up the ball and drifting wide to create counterattack opportunities, a demanding role that drained his energy. Meanwhile, the new pairing of Shen Zigui and Shao’er struggled to penetrate Dalian Pro’s defense. Especially Palacio, who was constantly surrounded by multiple defenders whenever he had the ball, making it difficult for Three Towns’ attacking passes to flow smoothly and limiting the threat posed to the opponent’s goal.

The second half almost turned into a shooting practice for Dalian Pro. At the 61st minute, Three Towns faced their most dangerous moment: Peña’s set piece caused chaos, Mamadou’s header was initially pushed away by Guo Jiayu in an extraordinary save; immediately following a corner kick, the same player’s header slammed heavily against the crossbar and bounced out. The opponent came close twice within a minute, but Three Towns escaped disaster thanks to luck and their goalkeeper’s heroics.

Even with the opponent suffering the setback of Laborde’s injury and exit, Three Towns’ attack showed no improvement. Shao’er’s long-range shot from midfield was easily caught by the goalkeeper, and Palacio, exhausted from constant running, was substituted early. The offense never managed to mount a significant threat. On the defensive end, Long Wei cleared a goal-bound shot at the 89th minute, and Guo Jiayu saved Zhao Xuebin’s close-range header in the 90th minute, repeatedly pulling the team back from the brink. After a grueling 7 minutes of added time, Three Towns finally held on for this hard-earned point.

Next round, the decisive battle at Xinpengcheng

Although this draw ended a three-match losing streak since September, it did not guarantee Three Towns’ safety yet. After 27 rounds, with 25 points, Three Towns currently stand 12th in the Chinese Super League, leading the relegation zone by 7 points, which seems like a cushion. However, their poor form with only one win in the last 13 matches makes any points advantage fragile. In the next two rounds, Three Towns face life-or-death relegation battles: first at home against Shenzhen Xinpengcheng, then away against fellow strugglers Qingdao Hainiu. Any slip could plunge them into danger, but if they can capitalize on home advantage to beat Shenzhen Xinpengcheng, who have only one win in 13 away games, Three Towns can secure safety early.

“We focused on practicing defensive set pieces, which showed good results in this match. Though there were still some flaws, securing points is very important for achieving our goals going forward,” said Deng Zhuoxiang after the game, visibly tired but encouraging his players: “I think consecutive losses earlier did affect the players’ confidence, especially the younger ones, but this is also part of their growth, and for us coaches as well.” For Three Towns, whether the injury crisis eases in time and the offense revives will determine if the team can hold onto their Chinese Super League spot by season’s end.