Although Yunnan Yukun is not an insurmountable obstacle for Dalian Yibo on their way to the Super League, the team suffered an unexpected loss in the last round of matches, and if the results of their last home match at the end of the season are still bleak, it will be difficult for them to fulfill their dream of becoming champions. Dalian Imbo can't just wait for their opponents to make mistakes, and the suspense of promotion may be delayed until the final match with Shanghai Jiading Huilong. In terms of ranking, Shanghai Jiading Huilong has won only 5 games, but is ranked second in the Central League with 16 draws, so a three-point home win for Dalian Imbo is not a sure thing.
In the current Super League situation, Dalian Yibo only needs 2-3 more points to secure promotion, however, it is crucial to avoid consecutive draws and defeats. This season, Dalian Imbo have done well against the bottom teams, achieving a "double kill", but against the strongest teams, they have only won a few matches. They failed to win the two games against Guangzhou, and especially suffered a painful loss at home against Yunnan Yukun. Keeping a point on the road is a pragmatic choice for Li Guoxu and his team. Guangzhou will face Yanbian Longding and Nanjing City next, and it seems unlikely that these two teams will be the blockers.
Karanga's strike in the last game certainly gave the team a shot in the arm. He celebrated by taking off his jersey and showing off his kit to the Dalian fans who traveled all the way to the city, but he received a yellow card for it. Karanga has now accumulated three yellows and will be suspended if he receives another one. Even if he doesn't have to force a goal against Yunnan Yukun, Karanga will need to watch his fouls and emotion management unless he pulls off another shutout. Karanga has become a key goal scorer for the team, and his partnership with Zhu Pengyu has made the striker duo even more threatening. It looks like the team is on the verge of a Super League run, but the situation is complicated, and Guangzhou's young players have also shown remarkable strength.
