Chengdu Rongcheng need one point from their final Chinese Super League match to win their first title, but a dramatic loss of form has turned what once looked like a straightforward finish into a tense race with Dalian Yingbo.
The Sichuan club, coached by former Portsmouth and Coventry striker John Aloisi, led Dalian by 12 points. That margin has fallen to three ahead of Sunday’s final fixtures. Chengdu have won only twice in their last 13 matches and have lost their past three, while going almost seven hours without scoring.
Their title hopes have faltered through a series of painful results. More than 40,000 supporters expected to celebrate on 10 October, but Tianjin Jinmen Tiger scored in added time to win 1-0. Chengdu then lost 3-0 to Shanghai Port. In their penultimate match, they were beaten 1-0 by Dalian after missing a first-half penalty and having a 90th-minute equaliser ruled out by the video assistant referee.
Dalian have won four games in a row and will face Tianjin in their final match. If they win, Chengdu must take at least a point away to fourth-placed Shandong Taishan. The league’s tiebreaker is head-to-head record, followed by goal difference.
The season began with nine of the league’s 16 clubs starting on negative points after sanctions linked to a campaign against match-fixing, gambling and corruption. Chengdu started on zero, while defending champions Shanghai Port were deducted five points and runners-up Shanghai Shenhua lost 10.
Chengdu had established a commanding lead by dropping just two points in their first 12 matches. The club was formed in 2018 and rose through the divisions to reach the brink of its first championship.
Dalian’s strong finish has also made the title race a popular spectacle. Chengdu, however, have faced criticism over the conduct of some supporters: the club was fined about $70,000 last November after home fans racially abused Henan FC striker Frank Acheampong. The previous month, it received a $3,000 fine after travelling supporters threw bottles at Ulsan HD players during a Champions League match.
Average league attendances are expected to reach about 30,000, up from 25,755 last season. Whatever the final result, the title will be decided in a season marked by both disciplinary sanctions and a late, unexpected contest at the top.
Sources: The Guardian Sport.