Guoan collapses at home! Fabio: Conceding goals endlessly every match, how can we win the FA Cup?

Special contributor/Song Ci On October 26, 2025, this day is destined to become a dark memory and disgrace in Guoan’s history — in their 400th home game, they suffered a 2-4 defeat to Hainiu, completely falling apart. Fans bluntly said after the match: such a Guoan has never been seen before.

No one knows why Guoan, unbeaten in the first 16 rounds and crowned half-season champions, has fallen so low. Before this, Guoan fans were still hoping the FA Cup final could serve as a cover-up, but judging by recent performances, winning the title looks unlikely.

After losing last round’s away match to Xinpengcheng and drawing twice in the AFC Champions League against Hong Kong teams, Guoan fans’ anger has reached its peak. Many fans openly declared they definitely won’t attend the next home game.

Half an hour before the Hainiu match, the stands of Workers’ Stadium were nearly empty; fans only gradually arrived after kickoff, totaling just over 20,000 — almost the lowest attendance this season. Even those present came mainly to vent their frustration, with loyal supporters in the North Stand expressing dissatisfaction through altered songs.

Fans had hoped their shouting would wake Guoan up and bring a win, but disappointment continued. The difference now is that previously the poor performances were only away games, but this time the home ground was also lost, and at a milestone 400th home match no less.

When Hainiu took the lead 3-2, boos filled the stands; after Guoan conceded again, the crowd nearly erupted, with cries of “shameful” echoing throughout the stadium. Fans were deeply upset, saying, “In all my years watching Guoan, I’ve never seen such disgrace. This is a humiliation beyond belief. Even when we fought to avoid relegation or finished mid-table before, it was never this embarrassing. Why must Guoan fans suffer so much?”

In fact, Guoan players themselves don’t understand why this is happening. Fabio, who scored his 22nd goal of the season, was nearly in tears during the post-match interview. He apologized painfully to the fans: “We concede goals in an endless loop every game. We lost everything away, hoping to reclaim it at home, but... I had so much to say, but now I don’t know what to say. With this form, how can we win the FA Cup? I feel ashamed.”

Actually, the match started “normally.” Guoan took the lead within 20 minutes thanks to Fabio’s goal, and fans were talking about how he broke the club’s single-season scoring record with that strike.

Even though Hainiu equalized with a penalty in the second half, fans were frustrated by the defense’s reckless foul, but Serginho’s goal three minutes later calmed the anger. Fans believed that playing at home, Guoan should be able to win.

The turning point came in the 85th minute when interim coach Ramiro substituted Fabio and Guga with Zhang Yuning and Zhang Xizhe, after which Guoan collapsed. Within 11 minutes, they conceded three goals and lost 2-4.

This match marked Guoan’s first home loss to Hainiu in club history, and the four goals conceded matched their record for most goals allowed at home in a single Chinese Super League game.

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After the match, Ramiro commented on the team’s performance: “We repeated individual mistakes like before, which is really hard to accept. If we played normally, it wouldn’t happen. I know them well; this isn’t a matter of ability. It’s hard to explain why these errors occur. I’m fully aware of their level. Facing this situation is truly a blow.”

Indeed, defender Ngadeu made consecutive mistakes. If such errors happened to Chinese players, they might be accused of match-fixing. Ramiro frankly said he still trusts every player: “I take full responsibility and won’t blame any player. They need support now. We are a family, and when family members face difficulties, everyone must help. Losing at home is especially tough and requires strength to recover. Since mistakes happened, we must face them and correct them moving forward.”

Regarding how to overcome the slump, Ramiro said there are no excuses — only facing reality and upcoming matches head-on. “The team is currently at a low point, and the players are deeply affected. I understand their disappointment, but I approve of their attitude in recent games. To fans, players are like children; when children face difficulties, they need encouragement and support.”

Ramiro stated that fans and the team are one entity: “I know the players play with passion and feel the fans’ love. I understand the fans, but the players also need more help. I hope we can work together to turn things around. Now is not the time to think about the FA Cup final, but to prepare well for every match. Every member of our team wants to do better.”