Yes, there is no shortage of newcomers who have won their first game. Hebei Xiong'an Light, for example, has been making a lot of moves in the preparatory period, recruiting and preparing for the tournament, and now their main goal is to make it to the professional league stage.
Shanghai Segunda, the mount of Zhu Jun, former investor of Chinese Super League giants Shanghai Shenhua, will continue to ride on the field. The owner, well known to the fans, has been leading Shanghai Segunda's active performance in the amateur circuit under the name of Zhu Jun.
In the last two years, Shanghai Segunda, led by Zhu Jun, have had a great run in the Chinese Championships. 2023 saw them compete in the Even Zone, first shaking hands with Liuzhou Football 0-0, followed by a 0-1 defeat against Shenzhen Successful Youngsters, only to come back to beat Qianxinan Fengtang 3-1. However, in the qualifying rounds of Groups I and J, they lost 1-2 to city rivals Shanghai Tongji and 0-1 to Guangxi Songcheng, failing to break through to the regional rounds. In these five rounds of fierce battles, Zhu Jun twice took the starting position, showing not bad competitive status.
In 2024, Shanghai Segunda embarked on another journey. In the first round of the F.A.C. Cup, they swept Nanning 7-0 to advance to the next round. Next up, they will face B-team Ganzhou RuiLion. It is worth mentioning that in this big win, 58-year-old Zhu Jun not only started the game, but also knocked on the opponent's door in the 59th minute, making the score 6-0 and becoming the record holder of the biggest goal in this year's F.A.C.A. Cup.
Looking ahead, Shanghai Segunda will continue to make appearances in the Chinese Championship. If Zhu Jun can continue to wear the armor, will he be able to create another success in the Champions League? All this makes us full of expectations.
