Guoan's comeback against Zhejiang ends three rounds without a win, and Setién secures his position.

Special Correspondent / Song Ci On the evening of August 10, at the Hangzhou Huanglong Sports Center, Beijing Guoan played against Zhejiang in an away match. Prior to the match, most expected the home team, riding a three-game winning streak, to continue their success, and for a time, the game seemed to be unfolding as anticipated. However, the outcome was that Guoan, trailing 1-3, managed to score three goals and win 4-3. This not only ended their three-match winless streak but also likely alleviated the need for the club to consider a coaching change.

This season, Guoan has faced numerous challenges. Even during their unbeaten run of 16 matches, the team dealt with significant injuries, suspensions, and confidence issues. Fortunately, Guoan has managed to pull through in critical moments, such as their previous match against Shandong Taishan, where they were not favored to win but proved their resilience with a stunning 6-1 victory at home.

This time, the situation was almost as dire as in the match against Taishan, perhaps even worse. Before departing for Hangzhou, several key players were confirmed to be unavailable, including the season-long injured foreign center-back Spajic, veteran Zhang Xizhe, and center-back Wu Shaocong. Additionally, many players were not in peak physical condition. To make matters worse, another foreign center-back, N'Gadieu, suffered an unexpected injury during the pre-match warm-up, truly living up to the saying: "When it rains, it pours." Therefore, when the starting lineup was announced, even Guoan fans could only sigh: as long as they weren't completely overwhelmed by the opponents, it would be acceptable.

In fact, head coach Setién was more aware than anyone of the team's situation, which is why he expressed some resignation before the match, stating: "It's not that we want to win, so we will win. Sometimes, to win, we have to perform better than our opponents and also rely on luck. We cannot control how the opponent plays." Facing Zhejiang's recent strong form, especially their foreign players' formidable attacking power, Guoan truly found themselves unable to control the situation and could only "hope" for luck.

However, sometimes, luck arrives quietly when you feel most helpless. When Zhejiang scored first, it seemed victory was tilting in their favor, but Guoan equalized with a stunning long-range shot from Gu Jia, a goal that certainly had an element of luck.

Yet, two goals from Zhejiang before halftime and right after the break put the score at 3-1, making it seem like a nearly impossible situation to recover from. However, a long-range shot from Cao Yongjing outside the box resulted in another incredible goal. Shortly after, Fabio's header, initially saved by the Zhejiang goalkeeper, fortuitously bounced off him and into the net, bringing more good fortune to Guoan.

Then, when Wang Yudong executed a beautiful curling shot in the 74th minute only to be denied by Hou Sen's remarkable save, it appeared that luck was no longer on Guoan's side. Yet, it didn't end there; Wang Ziming's winning goal hit the post but did not bounce out, instead, it went into the net. Everything unfolded just as Setién had predicted: not only did they need to outperform their opponents, but they also required luck.

This time, at their most challenging moment, luck sided with Guoan.

After drawing 2-2 at home against Tianjin Jinmen Tiger in the previous round, the Guoan club's management held an urgent meeting to analyze the team's issues and strategize for the future. The first response from the club was to fully trust Setién, especially during tough times, emphasizing the importance of believing in the head coach. If the club lost faith in Setién, it would undoubtedly affect the players, including Setién himself.

Of course, support and trust must be based on the premise that performance does not continue to decline. The internal consensus at the club was to observe the next three matches: the league away match against Zhejiang, the away match against Qingdao West Coast, and the home match in the FA Cup against Yunnan Yukun. As long as they didn't lose all three or fail to win even one, the club would continue to back Setién. In fact, any result against Zhejiang was acceptable, given their strong form, Guoan's lack of key players, and the away setting, making a loss understandable.

Unexpectedly, in their moment of crisis, Guoan did not give up. As Wang Ziming, who scored the final goal, stated: "At halftime, although we were behind, both the coaching staff and the players believed we had a great chance to win today. We all had faith and determination to win. The situation was tough, but none of us gave up."

Heaven helps those who help themselves, and Guoan, who did not give up, also gained the favor of luck. This match marked Zhejiang's first home loss of the league season, and securing three points under such circumstances means Setién's position is now relatively secure. As long as they can get past Yunnan Yukun in the FA Cup, he should be able to coach through the end of the season without major issues.

Achieving such a comeback victory has given Setién more confidence. In summarizing the match, he first credited the team's unity, saying, "This victory is a reward for us." Setién also proactively mentioned the title race, clearly indicating he would not give up on the championship chase. "The most important thing is that we got three points, which keeps us in the top group. Who ultimately wins the league is still uncertain, but we should remain in the top group."