After being reversed by Shenhua, Tianjin Tigers have no retreat in facing Hainiu

Journalist Cheng Shan reports The focal match of the 4th round of the Chinese Super League kicked off at Tianjin TEDA Football Stadium, with Tianjin Tigers hosting Shanghai Shenhua. Both teams were penalized with point deductions in the first anti-gambling and anti-corruption campaign, and this season, due to historical reasons, both were fined 10 points. With Hainiu winning a match earlier in this round, the clash between the bottom-ranked and second-bottom-ranked teams is one neither side can afford to lose.

The course of this match was also full of twists and turns, ultimately ending with Tianjin Tigers being reversed 2-3. Although Tianjin Tigers broke their season-long scoring drought in this match, showing clear improvement in their offensive end, they lost a favorable position after twice leading, not only failing to escape the bottom of the standings but also suffering a heavy blow to team morale and fan confidence. In the next round, Tianjin Tigers will continue to host their second match in April, facing another relegation zone team, Qingdao Hainiu. For Tianjin Tigers and Yu Genwei, there is no retreat.

In this match, Tianjin Tigers' head coach Yu Genwei deployed a starting lineup with four foreign players, giving them a slight advantage over injury-plagued Shanghai Shenhua in terms of personnel. The captain Wang Qiuming, who had been controversial, was placed on the bench, replaced by veteran Guo Hao to enhance midfield defensive capability. This adjustment optimized the midfield's offensive-defensive transition to some extent, allowing Tianjin Tigers to successfully seize control of the game after kickoff and effectively suppress Shenhua.

With defense stabilized, Tianjin Tigers quickly showed offensive intent. In the 22nd minute, Hadass delivered a cross from the right, and Giles headed the ball at the goal; Shenhua goalkeeper Xue Qinghao reacted swiftly and made a strenuous save, neutralizing Tianjin Tigers' first threatening attack. Towards the end of the first half, the match reached its first climax: in the 40th minute, VAR intervened indicating Shenhua foreign player Gaye committed a handball foul in the penalty area, awarding Tianjin Tigers a penalty kick, which Shetini converted. This goal was not only Shetini's first for Tianjin Tigers but also the team's first goal of the season, completely breaking the embarrassing streak of zero goals in the first three rounds.

Even though Shenhua equalized before halftime via a set-piece, Tianjin Tigers' offensive improvement continued to show in the second half. In the 56th minute, foreign player Hadass shot from outside the penalty area; Shenhua goalkeeper Xue Qinghao made a saving error, and Giles tapped in the rebound into the empty net, giving Tianjin Tigers the lead again. This goal was also the team's first goal from regular play this season. From offensive effectiveness and patterns, Tianjin Tigers indeed showed progress in this match; the only shortcoming was that the three foreign forwards hardly coordinated, with Shetini rarely actively passing to Giles and Hadass who had better opportunities and positions.

However, the substitution adjustments by both head coaches became the turning point of the match. In the 73rd minute, Yu Genwei replaced injured Shetini with Ji Shengpan; Slutsky substituted Gaye and Li Ke with Xie Pengfei and Wang Haijian. Subsequently, Xie Pengfei delivered a cross from the right, and Latang dashed forward to head the ball, helping Shenhua equalize again. Meanwhile, Tianjin Tigers' substitute Ji Shengpan slipped in the penalty area during stoppage time, accidentally touching the ball with his arm, conceding a penalty that allowed Shanghai Shenhua to reverse the score 3-2.

Thus, Tianjin Tigers suffered a reversal in a regrettable manner after twice leading. After four rounds, Tianjin Tigers endured three consecutive losses, still sitting at the bottom of the standings with -9 points. But the blow to the team goes beyond that; with offensive improvements, letting secured points slip away not only severely damaged players' confidence but also left over twenty-seven thousand fans on-site speechless.

After being reversed by Shenhua, Tianjin Tigers have little time for extensive rest and will face another crucial contest. In the 5th round of the Chinese Super League, Tianjin Tigers will continue to host Qingdao Hainiu, another relegation contender, in an early relegation battle. For Tianjin Tigers currently deep in trouble, this match already has no retreat; another loss would plunge the team deeper into the relegation quagmire, while Qingdao Hainiu, buoyed by their season's first win morale, aims to press forward.

Judging from recent form, Qingdao Hainiu undoubtedly holds the advantage. In this round, Qingdao Hainiu secured a narrow 1-0 home win against Henan team with Ye Boya's decisive goal, ending a three-loss slump and successfully claiming their season's first victory. This win not only widened the gap between Hainiu and Tianjin Tigers to 5 points but also greatly boosted the team's morale.

In contrast, Tianjin Tigers' situation is worsening. The team not only suffers four rounds without a win, remaining the only CSL team yet to secure a victory, but also faces severe personnel shortages. Main goalkeeper Yan Bingliang is injured, central defender Cordova has a severe ankle injury, and Shetini's injury status is unclear, making his availability for the next round uncertain.

Tianjin Tigers have no capital for further losses. The remaining opponents in April are formidable: away to Yunnan Yukun on the 17th, home against Shandong Taishan on the 21st, and away to Beijing Guoan on the 25th—each match is extremely difficult, making points hard to obtain. Therefore, this relegation clash with Qingdao Hainiu becomes Tianjin Tigers' best chance to escape their predicament. A win could break the winless embarrassment, boost morale, and gain initiative on the relegation path; another loss would leave the team completely passive, drastically increasing difficulty in chasing points and escaping the bottom.