In the 17th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) on July 3, Tianjin Jinmen Tigers beat Shenzhen Xinpengcheng by a score of 3-0. Liu Junxian contributed a goal in the victory, which was also his first goal for Tianjin Jinmen Tigers. After the match, Liu Junxian was interviewed by Tianjin TV's "New Vision of Sports" program, expressing his gratitude to the coaching team centered on Genwei and sharing details of his interaction with teammate Yang Zihao.
--Story behind the goal
Liu Junxian confessed, "At first, I knew there might be a cross tomorrow. Once the ball was empty, he (the coach) would observe my stance and later signaled me to be ready to shoot. I didn't expect to have a chance so soon."
--Hugs and feelings after victory
Talking about the hug after the goal, Liu Junxian said emotionally, "I am very grateful to the chief coaching staff for giving trust to the young players. Coach Yu always encourages me to let go, and he did a lot of psychological counseling for me the day before, worrying that I would be nervous, so he kept on guiding me. He gave me the confidence to present myself and show what I had learned in training. Although nervousness is inevitable, I hope it doesn't put pressure on the team. Young players have to prove themselves by taking one step at a time and prove to the coach that we are qualified to occupy this position."
--Silent cooperation with roommates
Liu Junxian revealed, "Maybe because we are roommates, we have more communication about the game schedule. I don't play in this position very often, so we communicate more. The coach also suggested that I collect the ball more to free up Yang Zihao's position so that he can be more involved in assists and passes."
--The meaning behind the first win
The victory meant a lot to the team. Liu Junxian said, "It's especially fulfilling. Last year we seemed to be undefeated at home, but this year we didn't win our first home game until now. It wasn't easy, but it boosted our self-confidence tremendously and made us more composed during the game."
