A reckless red card ruined Changchun Yatai’s promising opportunity to gain points.

Special Contributor / Liu Zhun A reckless red card became the turning point of the game and ruined Changchun Yatai’s good chance to earn points! On October 25th, despite leading by two goals, Changchun Yatai lost everything after Wang Yu’s straight red card in the second half — in stoppage time, playing with 10 men, they struggled to hold the 2-0 lead but were helpless as Tianjin Jinmen Tiger scored twice to salvage a draw in this key relegation clash.

In the final three rounds of the league, although Changchun Yatai’s opponents are not title contenders or relegation candidates, they are still strong teams ranked in the top eight. Notably, Tianjin Jinmen Tiger and Beijing Guoan are ranked sixth and fourth respectively, making it difficult to take points from them. Before this match, results from two earlier relegation battles in this round pushed Changchun Yatai into a desperate position — Shenzhen New Pengcheng won 2-1 away against Wuhan Three Towns, while Meizhou Hakka lost 1-4 at home to Yunnan Yukun. This win and loss increased pressure on both Changchun Yatai and fellow relegation rival Qingdao Hainiu. For Yatai, only by winning away at Tianjin Jinmen Tiger and then beating Beijing Guoan at home could they keep close to their rivals and maintain control over their relegation fate.

To prepare for the match against Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, head coach Suarez made thorough plans before the game. Although suspended and unable to be on the bench to direct the team live, modern transportation and the wide view from the stands allowed him to closely monitor the match and adjust tactics remotely. Regarding player selection, Suarez did not bring center-back Rosic to Tianjin, opting to let him rest and prepare for the crucial home match against Beijing Guoan; he also placed Tan Long and Peng Xinli on the bench, intending to use them as “back-up” options to change the game if it became tight.

Careful preparation and a strong desire to win resulted in a dominant first-half performance. After kickoff, Changchun Yatai quickly found their rhythm and firmly took control. In the 15th minute, Camilo made a crucial interception with a burst of speed, followed immediately by teammates Omoyuanfu and Ciprian forming an effective attacking link. Camilo assessed the situation and delivered a precise pass to Ciprian, who had only started four times before this season; he seized the opportunity and scored his first Chinese Super League goal. At the 33rd minute, the in-form Ciprian struck again, taking a free kick that Tianjin Jinmen Tiger’s Kieles accidentally deflected into his own net, gifting Yatai an own-goal and extending the lead to 2-0.

In a desperate situation, Changchun Yatai showed a fighting spirit that felt unfamiliar to many fans; their first-half display was so strong it created a stark contrast — this version of Yatai shouldn’t be stuck in relegation trouble. But just as the match progressed according to Suarez’s plan, an unexpected event occurred — at the 55th minute, defensive midfielder Wang Yufei’s studs caught Hadass’s ankle during a tackle, earning him a straight red card from referee Shen Yin Hao. Wang’s recklessness turned Yatai’s first-half momentum into a dire predicament in the second half.

“The match before and after the red card was like two completely different games. Before the red card, we were leading 2-0, dominating the opponent, and even creating some good chances. After the red card, the situation reversed; playing with one less man, we had to focus more on defense, while the home team pressed forward aggressively to overturn the score. If we split the match at the red card, we deserved to win before it, but unfortunately, the opponent managed to equalize,” said Changchun Yatai’s acting head coach Mauricio with regret after the match.

Playing 10 against 11 is not unfamiliar to Changchun Yatai — in the 26th round this season, Yatai came from behind to draw 2-2 against Qingdao Hainiu at home by scoring two goals in stoppage time while down a man. But in the 28th round, the roles reversed completely, and Yatai became the side that conceded a late equalizer.

To protect their lead, Changchun Yatai had to switch from offense to defense and compact their backline; Tianjin Jinmen Tiger seized the chance to press high, gradually squeezing Yatai’s defensive space. From Wang Yu’s sending off at the 55th minute until the 90th, Yatai’s players fought with great determination to maintain the 2-0 advantage. However, the prolonged intense defensive effort exhausted their energy.

In stoppage time, Yatai’s defense began to falter. At 90+1 minutes, He Yiran made a defensive error and accidentally headed the ball into his own net, gifting the opponent an own goal. The following moments felt endless for Yatai players as they tried repeatedly to waste time and survive the difficult period, but referee Shen Yin Hao strictly managed the added time, ensuring all delays were fully compensated.

At 90+9 minutes, Tianjin Jinmen Tiger earned a corner kick, and Xie Weijun scored the equalizer, setting the final score at 2-2. Notably, this was not Xie Weijun’s first stoppage-time “deadly strike” against Changchun Yatai — in the 2022 season’s 25th round, Yatai also lost a two-goal lead to Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, who scored three times in stoppage time to complete a comeback, with Xie Weijun netting the winner at 90+5 minutes, crushing Yatai’s hopes. Now, Xie Weijun has again scored in stoppage time, becoming Yatai’s undeniable “nemesis.”

With this draw, Changchun Yatai has 19 points, and their relegation situation remains precarious. On November 1st, Yatai will face a strong Beijing Guoan in their final home game of the season, and the outcome will directly impact their fight to avoid relegation.