Equalizer under intense pressure! Yunnan Kun reaches the “relegation safety mark,” the newly promoted team’s fighting spirit remains strong

Written by Zuo Rui In the 23rd round of the Chinese Super League, Yunnan Kun managed a 1-1 home draw against Changchun Yatai thanks to a last-minute penalty by Oscar. Despite failing to secure a victory to lift spirits, the newly promoted team, suffering from consecutive heavy losses and many injuries, endured the pressure and reached the 30-point safety threshold with seven rounds left in the league.

That night, 20,767 fans celebrated this hard-fought draw. This might have been the lowest attendance at Yuxi Plateau Sports Center Stadium this season, with over two thousand fewer spectators than the previous round’s 1-5 loss to Chengdu Rongcheng. Due to the long journey for the visitors, fewer than a hundred Changchun supporters were present in the away section.

A slightly lower attendance than usual does not indicate a drop in expectations from the home team and its fans. On the contrary, Yunnan Kun, playing at altitude, faced enormous pressure before the match. “We have been anticipating this tough game,” said head coach Anderson. Any team that suffers consecutive losses faces difficulties. “We hate losing, and the team atmosphere has become tense. We worked hard all week to revive the team’s spirit, remembering we fight for Yunnan football.”

Yunnan Kun midfielder and former Yatai player Zhang Yufeng also openly admitted that recent defeats had a “huge impact” on them. Consecutive heavy losses dampened the team’s mood, so they needed to give their all to win this match, believing that a victory would help them get back on track.

The lineup for this match saw little change: goalkeeper Ma Zhen; defenders Dilimulati, Yi Teng, Zhang Chenliang, Tang Miao; midfielders Luo Jing, Nei Nei, Hou Yongyong, Ye Chugui; forwards Oscar and Enrique. With two Romanian key players unavailable for the start—injured Ioniță on the bench and suspended Burke in the stands—Zhang Chenliang replaced the also injured Li Songyi, indicating Anderson’s preference to overwhelm the opponent offensively at home.

At least in the first half, the home team’s attacking intentions were not realized. Neither side had a shot in the first 15 minutes. The visitors entered the attacking third more frequently and earned more set-piece opportunities; burdened by pressure, the home side struggled to attack freely and repeatedly exposed defensive vulnerabilities. The opponent’s yellow card for disrupting Ma Zhen’s quick throw-in and their consistent three-defender setups on corners showed they feared Yunnan Kun’s counterattacks and were unified and resolute in their plan to snatch points away.

In the 18th minute, captain Yi Teng, entrusted with a heavy responsibility, was injured and replaced urgently by Li Songyi. This forced substitution did not change the game’s dynamic; Yunnan Kun’s wing crosses and forward attacks remained suppressed. After a 30-minute stalemate, the visitors took their second shot in the 31st minute—Zhang Huachen scored directly from a free kick into the corner. Before halftime, the visiting goalkeeper received a second yellow card for delaying the restart, signaling their intent to continue pressing by all means to eventually wear down Yunnan Kun.

In the 53rd minute, the injured Ioniță came on, forcing Yunnan Kun to take risks by intensifying their attacking variations. Although long balls from midfield and defense were still well controlled by the opposition, more ground attacks began to show promise. In the 80th minute, Anderson substituted defender Dili with forward Han Zilong, demonstrating his determination to do whatever it takes to turn the game around.

Throughout the second half, facing dense defense from the leading side and blocked wing attacks, Yunnan Kun attempted numerous long-range shots. Unfortunately, aside from Ioniță’s free kick hitting the post, none found the target. Amid the rising cheers from Yunnan supporters, the never-give-up Yunnan Kun team returned before the final whistle. In stoppage time, after several unsuccessful long shots, Nei Nei earned a penalty inside the box, and Oscar fulfilled expectations by blasting the ball into the net. The score was fixed at 1-1.

After the match, Oscar admitted the team bore a heavy psychological burden during the game, and he felt the same standing at the penalty spot. “Nobody wants to keep losing at home, but having played professionally in China for eight years, I knew what to do.” He said he was very happy the moment he scored, but later realized that a draw was not the outcome he or the team desired.

Oscar believed the opponents played well, but the head coach’s experience and halftime adjustments made a difference in the locker room. He especially thanked the fans for their support, “Whether trailing or under pressure, the fans kept cheering for us. Scoring at the last moment to earn a point finally stopped the team’s decline and gave the Yunnan fans some consolation.”

With safety seemingly ensured, what about the remaining seven rounds? Oscar and Anderson share the same view: fight for every match to gain more points. “The league isn’t over yet. This is our home, our fans are here, and we will keep fighting for Yunnan.” Oscar said he aims to score and assist more in upcoming games.

Anderson said after the match that this was the team’s poorest performance so far this season. Facing Yatai’s deep defense, Yunnan Kun struggled to create more attacking chances. Fortunately, through the team’s hard work, they earned a valuable point from the penalty, “This point is very important for us.”

If the unfavorable situation had persisted, if Yunnan Kun hadn’t fought to the end, if that penalty hadn’t been awarded, or if Oscar had missed the spot-kick... For the Chinese Super League newcomer Yunnan Kun, their previous three home defeats were all against title contenders. Losing again to the bottom-ranked team and then facing Shanghai Port away after the break, how could they drop their burden and regain fighting spirit? This point is not only important but timely, proving the newly promoted team’s fighting spirit will not waver.