Guangzhou Leopards vs. Northwest Wolves, Yuexiu Mountain to open 10,000 seats

Reported by Wang Wei and intern Li Xin On October 26th (this Sunday) at 19:30, in the 28th round of this season's China League One, Guangdong Guangzhou Leopards will play at home against Shaanxi United at Yuexiu Mountain Stadium. Following reports and coordination, Guangzhou Leopards Football Club has confirmed the opening of 10,000 seats for this game.

In the last round of China League One, Guangzhou Leopards won 1-0 away against Suzhou Dongwu with a vital header from Shang Yin. Meanwhile, their promotion rival Chongqing Tongliang Long came from behind to beat Dalian Kunchen 2-1 on the road. Currently, the points gap between the two teams is just 2 points, with Guangzhou Leopards in third place closely trailing second-placed Chongqing Tongliang Long. After defeating Suzhou Dongwu away, Guangzhou Leopards have remained unbeaten in their last 8 matches (7 wins, 1 draw), earning 22 points in three months. However, due to an inferior goal difference in their head-to-head with Chongqing Tongliang Long, Guangzhou Leopards are effectively 2.5 points behind. Every upcoming match is crucial for Guangzhou Leopards; they must strive for victory and hope their rivals slip up to achieve their promotion goal.

The first meeting between Guangzhou Leopards and Shaanxi United this season was a make-up match on August 23rd. Guangzhou Leopards played away, with foreign player Carlos scoring the opener in the second half assisted by Han Xuan. Later, Rosa’s seemingly harmless shot near the penalty area deflected off Wang Weipu into the net, putting Guangzhou Leopards ahead 2-0 away. Although Wei Zhiwei pulled one back for Shaanxi United in the 76th minute, it was not enough to prevent Guangzhou Leopards from taking the win on the road.

This time, hosting Shaanxi United, Guangzhou Leopards are determined to win. With the 15th National Games opening soon, security for large events has been strengthened accordingly. Guangzhou Leopards Football Club began preparing the security arrangements for this match two months ago. After continuous communication and coordination with various parties, the club ultimately confirmed that 10,000 seats will be available for this game.

At this critical stage of the promotion race, Guangzhou Leopards started ticket sales 12 days before the match. The club hopes to welcome fans to the stadium with a 50% discount, offering tickets at the lowest price of 25 yuan, inviting everyone to witness this key match on Guangzhou Leopards’ path to promotion. Before the match, player Xia Dalong also expressed gratitude to the fans for their ongoing support, saying, "Thank you for your constant support and encouragement. Every match is crucial now; let’s fight together to achieve our goal!"

Shaanxi United and Guangzhou Leopards share a close history, having both advanced from the Chinese Champions League to China League Two, and then promoted together to China League One. However, this is the first time Guangzhou Leopards will face Shaanxi United at their home stadium, Yuexiu Mountain.

Throughout October, Shaanxi United has shown strong competitiveness, winning 3-1 and 2-0 at home against Shanghai Jiading Huilong and Qingdao Red Lions respectively; and managing a 3-3 draw away against Shenzhen Youth after trailing by two goals.

Before this round, Shaanxi United ranked ninth in China League One with 35 points from 9 wins, 8 draws, and 10 losses. They scored 41 goals and conceded 41 in 27 matches, making them a team known for strong offense but weaker defense among the league's clubs.

Guangzhou Leopards player Xia Dalong is deeply impressed by Shaanxi United’s attacking strength: "In the away 2-1 match, the opponent kept applying pressure on us in the final moments. We were on the back foot, defending continuously. In the end, we held off their attacks and secured the win."

Shaanxi United’s young player Wei Zhiwei scored in their first encounter with Guangzhou Leopards. Additionally, midfielder El Azrak’s playmaking ability is notable; this season he has provided 10 assists and scored 4 goals. Domestic players like Abduwahap, Yan Yu, Tan Kaiyuan, Ma Xiwei, and Liang Shaowen have also scored multiple goals this season. Coach Feng Feng and his team cannot afford to relax.