After wrapping up their away fixture, Tianjin Jinmen Tiger touched down in Tianjin on Tuesday afternoon, returning from Hangzhou. Despite facing a passive start and an early deficit, the squad refused to give up. A crucial penalty was won by Gillet, who risked injury with a determined challenge inside the box, and Hadas calmly converted to secure a 1-1 draw against Zhejiang FC. That hard-earned point made the journey home much sweeter.
Having lost six consecutive away matches to Zhejiang, finally taking a point away from Hangzhou is a commendable result. However, head coach Yu Genwei was blunt in his assessment of the goal conceded, calling it “foolish.” The goal came from a deflected free kick taken by Zhejiang’s foreign midfielder Mitrić, which ricocheted off Xie Weijun’s leg and into the net, leaving goalkeeper Yan Bingliang with no chance. The incident overshadowed what was meant to be a milestone match – Xie’s 200th appearance for the club – and the coaching staff quickly noticed his low spirits afterward.
While waiting at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on Tuesday morning, Yu Genwei took time for a one-on-one talk with Xie Weijun. Due to tactical needs, Xie has frequently switched between striker and center-back roles, a high-difficulty transition that demands immense adaptability. The coach’s communication was mainly encouraging. Regarding the “foolish mistake” that led to the goal, Yu gathered the defenders involved and meticulously analyzed their positioning and wall setup at the moment of the free kick.
After 11 rounds, Jinmen Tiger’s points total has finally turned positive, but they remain at the bottom of the standings, still five points adrift of the relegation zone. The next challenge is a home match against Chengdu Rongcheng, who sit atop the table with an impressive 10 wins and 1 draw from their first 11 games. Tianjin must fully mobilize to stand a chance of taking points.
On the injury front, forward Shetiner is doubtful with an ongoing recovery, while starting defender Yang Fan will miss the next match due to accumulating four yellow cards. Additionally, several young players like Zhang Haoran and Liu Shuai have been called up to the U20 squad for national youth league duties, leaving the first team with a thin bench. Every available player must be ready to step up when called upon.
