The recent scene of Gansu Province's Jingchuan Wenhui team defeating Chinese Super League powerhouse Beijing Guoan in the second round of the FA Cup with a cold shot has stirred widespread public debate. In analyzing the matchup, the CFA noted, "Winning with weakness is not just a stroke of luck."
Jingchuan Wenhui FC, a non-professional soccer club founded only 15 months ago, is in stark contrast to Beijing Guoan, which has a glorious history. Guoan has never been relegated in the top flight and has won the FA Cup four times, so the disparity in strength is obvious to the naked eye. However, the contest of strength on the soccer field is often dynamic. Putting aside paper strength, the skillful use of tactical layout, formation design, clinical play and perseverance in a match can inspire amazing fighting power and even bring about jaw-dropping victories. The fact that it was Jingchuan Wenhui who broke the deadlock and drew 2-2 with Guoan in the 90th minute was a testament to this. Their well-deserved victory earned them praise from the CFA and the fans.
Soccer, this competitive sport, in the green field, weak win strong, small win big is not uncommon. Such "unexpected" victory not only brings us surprise, but also demonstrates the spirit of unity and turning pressure into motivation. As the old saying goes, "when two armies meet, the braver wins", this philosophy is also vividly reflected in the soccer field. Facing the opponent whose strength is far more than their own, Jingchuan Wenhui team persisted until the last moment. Behind the "extraordinary performance" is the power of "perseverance". This reminds us of the Chinese women's soccer team that turned the tide in the Asian Cup in early 2022. China's sports world has never been short of such "dark horse" heroes, who face strong enemies with a "fight" attitude, and again and again inspire the upward force in our hearts. As the game came to an end, the "angry praise" on the Internet for the Jingchuan Wenhui team was not only a tribute to them, but also to all the athletes who dared to fight and never gave up, as well as to the "amateur" sportsmen who sweated it out in their sports.
For the development of "grassroots teams" and the promotion of "soccer for all" and "fitness for all", this "resilience" is a huge energy. This "resilience" is particularly valuable because it can promote the continuous progress of the sports field. In the final analysis, this is an indispensable "quality" and "nutrient" for China to move from a big sports country to a sports power.
Of note, in the upcoming third round of the FA Cup, Jingchuan Wenhui will face Jinan Xingzhou, the champions of the 2022 B-League season, who previously "blew out" Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai. The meeting of the two "dark horse" teams will undoubtedly be an interesting matchup.
We look forward to a brighter future for the Jingchuan Wenhui team, and we also look forward to seeing more efforts and growth like "Jingchuan Wenhui" on the sports field.
