Tianjin Jinmen Tiger finds itself five points shy of the safety line in the Chinese Super League, and the team is in urgent need of a victory to break free from its recent struggles.
After a dramatic 1-1 draw away at Zhejiang, the squad returned to Tianjin to prepare for their upcoming home match against Chengdu Rongcheng on the 15th. The team has shown defensive vulnerabilities in recent rounds, which has caught the attention of the coaching staff. In the post-match press conference, head coach Yu Genwei admitted, “We conceded a very foolish set-piece goal and need to review that thoroughly.”
Despite the tension, the point gained on the road was valuable, especially considering Jinmen Tiger had lost all six previous away matches against Zhejiang. “For a team fighting relegation, securing a point on the road is acceptable,” Yu remarked. “We were fortunate to get a late penalty. Over the last three games—all draws—we’ve had both regrets and takeaways. We need to analyze them carefully.”
The match exposed two main issues for Jinmen Tiger. First, their tactics became too predictable, relying heavily on long balls for counterattacks. Yu explained, “During our pre-match training at the venue, we found the pitch conditions different from expected, so we adjusted our plan. In attack, we created a few good chances through transitions, but the opponent’s overall quality is higher, and we struggled to control the game. Without the injured Xiedini, we used all our available options.”
The second issue was a costly defensive lapse on a set piece, where only two players formed the wall, allowing Mitri to score from a near-post angle. “We specifically practiced that area after watching a similar goal in the match between Shanghai Port and Shandong Taishan, but still made a mistake. We must avoid such errors in tight games,” Yu added.
Currently, Jinmen Tiger sits five points below the safe zone. The next opponent, Chengdu Rongcheng, is the league’s runaway leader with an unbeaten record of 10 wins and 1 draw, scoring 30 goals and conceding just 9. Although Jinmen Tiger swept both meetings against Chengdu last season, the two teams are in vastly different form this year. The defense will be tested severely, as the team has conceded 8 goals in its last five matches, averaging 1.6 per game. Yu remains determined: “We’ll fight hard to get a result in our next home game.”