On August 21st, Beijing time, the quarter-final of the AFC Cup ushered in a much-anticipated match between Nanjing City and Chengdu Rongcheng, which provided an exciting duel for the fans. The game not only tested the technical and tactical level of the players of both teams, but also a battle of will and strategy.
At the beginning of the first half, both sides quickly got into a state and started a fierce fight. Chengdu Rongcheng took the initiative on the field with the advantage of home field. In the 20th minute, Chengdu Rongcheng launched a threatening attack, Zhou Dingyang was tripped by the opponent's defender in the penalty area, and the referee decided to award a penalty kick. However, Chengdu Rongcheng failed to capitalize on this opportunity, and Wei Shihao's penalty kick was valiantly saved by Nanjing City's goalkeeper Qi Yuxi, which left the spectators in awe.
Despite missing the penalty kick, Chengdu Rongcheng did not get discouraged and they continued to keep control of the game. Before the end of the half, Nanjing City had a gaping hole in their defense, and Wei Shihao picked up the ball in front of the goal and pushed it into the opponent's goal, helping Chengdu Rongcheng to take the lead. However, this goal did not satisfy Chengdu Rongcheng, who knew that they needed to put in more effort in order to advance to the quarterfinals.
At the start of the second half, Nanjing City stepped up their offense in an attempt to equalize the score. However, Chengdu Rongcheng's defense was solid, making it difficult for their opponents to find a breakthrough. In the 60th minute, Chengdu Rongcheng took advantage of a corner kick, and Felipe leapt up high in the penalty area to score a header, increasing the score to 2-0. This goal completely ignited the enthusiasm of the home fans, who stood up to applaud and cheer for the team.
However, the game didn't end there. NJCU didn't give up on the game, they continued to fight with all their might. In the 80th minute, Dong Honglin seized the opportunity in a counter-attack and scored a wonderful goal, equalizing the game for NJCFC. However, this goal did not change the final result of the game.
With the final whistle blowing, Chengdu Rongcheng defeated Nanjing City 2-1 to advance to the quarterfinals of the F.A.C. Cup.
