Double defeat and three losses to Henan! Under the pressure of the title race, repeated mistakes lead Chengdu Rongcheng to a bitter farewell to their "championship dream."

Reporter Lu Mi reporting. In the 29th round of the Chinese Super League, the championship fight continues to be fierce. The three contenders played on the same day: Shanghai Port secured a 3-0 win over Zhejiang earlier, and Shanghai Shenhua later defeated Shenzhen New Pengcheng 1-0. Chengdu Rongcheng, ranked second, hosted the tough Henan team. After a dream start, they were breached twice on counterattacks and ultimately lost 1-2 at home, suffering a double defeat to Henan this season and exiting the title race one round early.

Before the Chengdu vs. Henan match, league leaders Shanghai Port defeated Zhejiang 3-0 at home, once again putting pressure on Rongcheng. In a pre-match interview, Xu Zhengyuan expressed hope that the players would give their all during the game.

Henan’s squad was incomplete, with key defenders Maidana and Yelijiang suspended. Xu Zhengyuan deployed a four-defender lineup for the first time this season, clearly signaling an all-out attack. Having lost twice to Henan in both competitions before, and with the title at stake, Rongcheng had no margin for error.

From the start, Henan pressed hard on Chengdu Rongcheng, who quickly responded by dominating possession and confining Henan to their half. Taking advantage of Henan’s missing key central and wing defenders, Rongcheng used four to five attackers to control the ball and force errors. Henan’s newly assembled defense, lacking coordination, gave Rongcheng several chances to penetrate the penalty area.

At the 10th minute, Rongcheng played a through ball behind Henan’s defense. Hu Hetao missed an excellent one-on-one chance, and later his goal was disallowed by the referee, causing considerable controversy. Due to this play, the referee awarded Rongcheng a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, which the standout performer Yan Dinghao converted. Rongcheng’s long-awaited goal finally arrived after a 20-minute wait.

Compared to the previous round, when they knew Shanghai Port had lost early and the opportunity was in their hands, Rongcheng appeared relatively composed in the first half of this match. However, this calm was shattered once adversity struck, especially given the must-win situation.

Just 30 seconds into the second half, Henan launched a quick counterattack from a steal, scoring an equalizer through Zhong Yihao after only three passes. Rongcheng quickly adjusted their formation, but the game’s momentum shifted. Midfield battles intensified as Henan tightened their defense and adopted a more resolute counterattack strategy, learning from first-half mistakes. This posed a challenge for Chengdu Rongcheng, and as the match progressed, their available time diminished.

To make matters worse, Gurfinkel was injured and left the field in the 60th minute. Delgado, who had underperformed earlier this season, came on as a substitute. After the 70th minute, Rongcheng pressed Henan’s penalty area, maintaining continuous pressure. Yet, Henan’s defense held firm, and in the 83rd minute, substitute He Chao seized an opportunity with a stunning strike to complete the comeback. This goal threw Rongcheng into disarray, forcing Xu Zhengyuan to deploy Han Pengfei alongside Felipe as a dual striker formation for a last-ditch effort.

With 13 minutes of stoppage time added, Rongcheng’s attacks surged like a tide but lacked precision in the final moments, resulting in missed chances to equalize.

In the final three rounds of the league, Rongcheng faces mid-table teams safe from relegation. However, the pressure of the title race has affected their mentality, causing inconsistent performances. Small mistakes and moments of loss of control have influenced the overall outcome. After drawing with Qingdao West Coast last round and losing the initiative to reclaim the top spot, this round’s double defeat to Henan ended their championship hopes.

If Rongcheng had secured one more win this season, the outcome might have been different. If they had not been stretched thin competing on multiple fronts with four foreign players, things could have turned out otherwise. But in football, there are no “ifs.” The shattered championship dream leaves fans, players, and the club deeply disappointed. Beyond regret, there are many lessons Rongcheng must learn from this season’s journey.