Chengdu Rongcheng Loses Chinese Super League Title After Blowing 14-Point Lead

The Collapse

Chengdu Rongcheng lost the Chinese Super League title after blowing a 14-point lead in the final stages of the season. Head coach John Aloisi's team needed just one point from their last four games to claim the championship. Instead, they lost all four matches, letting Dalian Yingbo overtake them in the standings.

The Final Match

Dalian Yingbo secured the title by defeating Tianjin Jinmen Tigers 3-1 in front of 60,000 fans. Chengdu still only needed a single point in their final game against Shandong Taishan, but fell 3-1 down by the 63rd minute. Brazilian forward Wellington Silva scored to pull one back, but Chengdu failed to find an equaliser and lost the match.

Reactions and Fallout

Furious fans shouted at Aloisi and his players at the team hotel after the loss, requiring police to step in and push the supporters back. Aloisi told local media that the team was in a despairing state and apologized to the fans who travelled to support them. When asked about his future, Aloisi refused to discuss whether he would resign, stating that the team must review where they fell short.

Context

The Chinese Super League decides final standings on head-to-head records rather than overall goal difference when teams finish level on points, which handed the title to Dalian Yingbo. Aloisi joined the Chinese club in January after previously winning the A-League championship with Western United, which collapsed financially last year.