After a series of disappointments, Hainiu should build up more confidence.

Reporter Chen Yong reports. Following the 5-1 win over Yukun on August 9th, Hainiu's confidence in staying up soared, but a harsh schedule lay ahead. The next two rounds featured an away game against Rongcheng and a home match against Shenhua. More painfully, Hainiu played well in both; they had more chances than Rongcheng but only managed a draw; they stubbornly resisted Shenhua and briefly glimpsed victory, but missed a prime chance and instead conceded a stoppage-time goal, losing the match. Two consecutive disappointing results left Hainiu deeply frustrated, yet such performances boosted their confidence in survival.

In Round 21, Hainiu drew 0-0 away at Rongcheng. Securing a point from a title-contending team on the road is theoretically satisfying, but Hainiu actually outperformed their opponent. They missed at least two clear one-on-one chances and had a shot hit the post. Statistically, Hainiu led in shots 17 to 13, shots on target 4 to 3, and had similar possession to Rongcheng.

Carrying the regret of not taking all three points, Hainiu returned home to face Shenhua and again performed admirably. In the 10th minute, Lanker Ze headed towards goal; although Shenhua’s goalkeeper Xue Qinghao made a save, the ball seemed to cross the line. However, after a VAR review, the referee ruled the ball did not fully cross the line. In the 43rd minute, Asue scored a stunning long-range goal, but VAR showed an offside by a Shenhua player, nullifying the goal. By halftime, Hainiu had 7 shots to Shenhua’s 8, 2 shots on target each, 3 corners to 4, and equal possession.

In the 58th minute, Shenhua scored again, but this rebound goal was also ruled offside and disallowed. In the first minute of stoppage time, Hainiu had a golden chance: a 3-on-1 counterattack. Zhang Chi, controlling the ball, noticed goalkeeper Xue Qinghao was positioned forward and tried a lob shot, but it lacked power and was caught by the keeper. After the match, Zhang Chi faced criticism; passing to a teammate making a run on the other side would have been safer and offered a better chance to score. However, eager to finish quickly, Zhang chose the more difficult lob and wasted the excellent opportunity.

Zhang Chi’s decision in that moment is indeed open to criticism, but some fans’ excessive attacks and insults are unnecessary. Slow-motion replays after the game show that with Xue Qinghao positioned forward, a lob was a reasonable choice; the problem was simply poor execution.

One minute later, Lanker Ze scored a one-on-one goal, but it was also ruled offside and disallowed. After repeatedly missing chances, Hainiu was punished: in the 94th minute, Yu Hanchao scored by seizing a loose ball; four minutes later, Liu Chengyu sealed the victory with a one-on-one goal. Ultimately, Hainiu lost 0-2. Compared to the match against Rongcheng, the defeat to Shenhua was even more frustrating—not only did they fail to get three points, they lost the game.

After the match, the Hainiu players were somewhat downhearted. Having fought with all their might and seen hope, losing in the end was hard for everyone to accept emotionally.

But for Hainiu, with a 2-0 home win over Jinmen Tiger, a 5-1 home win against Yukun, and strong performances against title contenders in these two matches, they should build their confidence in avoiding relegation. Especially with eight rounds remaining in the Super League, survival is definitely achievable.

At present, Hainiu’s tactical system is improving. In previous matches, their defense was solid and midfield had some control, but their attack was weak. During the summer transfer window, the team brought in Lanker Ze, creating two attacking focal points up front: Lanker Ze and Silva. Silva is fast, while Lanker Ze is tall and powerful, providing strong offensive impact.

Hainiu’s issue is that their midfield core, Saric, is injured. He got hurt in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup in late July and missed matches from Round 18 to Round 22. He is unlikely to return for the August 29 home game against Henan. Fortunately, the Super League will enter a break after that match. In the final seven rounds, Hainiu is expected to field their strongest lineup, giving them more confidence in the crucial relegation battles against Yatai and Meizhou.

Drawing with Rongcheng and losing to Shenhua leaves Hainiu somewhat regretful, but their confidence remains intact. “Regret is inevitable, but in these two matches, we also saw hope. After all, not every team can perform like this against them,” said a team insider.