QUICK TAKE: On August 13th, a key matchup in the 22nd round of the 2023 Chinese Super League kicked off at Nantong Zhiyun's home field against Beijing Guoan. In the 60th minute, Beijing Guoan's Ngaard Houli broke the stalemate with a corner kick. With the final whistle blowing, Nantong Zhiyun failed to overcome the deficit at home with a score of 0:1 and lost to Guoan.
Photographer Qiu Yu captured the moments of the game, in which the challenges of Nantong Zhiyun were mirrored by the resilience of Beijing Guoan.
Nantong Zhiyun's battle is crucial for relegation. After the first 21 rounds of the league, Nantong Zhiyun is in the 14th place with 16 points with 2 wins, 10 draws and 9 losses, only one point ahead of the bottom team Dalian. A win will certainly strengthen their safety distance from the relegation zone.
However, Beijing Guoan's goal in the 60th minute of the second half became the turning point of the game. Although Nantong Zhiyun kept adjusting their lineup in the following matches, they unfortunately failed to reverse the score. In the end, Nantong Zhiyun returned with 0:1 on the stage of Rugao Olympic Sports Center.
Nantong Zhiyun boss Gabriele was blunt after the game, "I foresaw that it would be a tough battle. Our opponents are strong and we had a fair first half, but after losing the ball, our offense was hampered and we were not able to win in the end." Gabriele emphasized that the team will focus on the next round and strive for victory.
Despite the start of fall, the temperature in Nantong is still hot. According to Modern Express, 19,993 fans flocked to the stadium that night, setting a new record for Nantong Zhiyun's home crowd. Nantong Zhiyun has a record of 2 wins, 10 draws and 10 losses, with 16 points, and is ranked 15th in the league. next round, they will challenge Shenzhen on the road, and the game will be played on August 19th.
