Chengdu Rongcheng Held to 0-0 Draw by Henan, Miss Chance to Clinch Title Early; Wei Shihao Says Team Carried Too Much Pressure

The Chinese Super League's 26th-round key match came to an end, with league leaders Chengdu Rongcheng visiting Henan FC. A victory in this match would have allowed Rongcheng to secure the first Chinese Super League title in club history four rounds early and create a new CSL milestone. However, Rongcheng were completely out of form throughout the match, registering no shots on target and eventually drawing 0-0 with their opponents, leaving their dream of an early title win unfulfilled. Compared with missing the chance to celebrate a historic moment, captain Wei Shihao's candid post-match remarks more directly pointed out the underlying reason behind the disappointing draw, with every sentence hitting the key issues.

Before the match, Rongcheng held a huge 12-point advantage and were in an excellent position to win the title. The only uncertainty was the injury absence of their top scorer Felipe. The key player, who had scored 17 goals during the season, left Rongcheng without a clear focal point in attack. The team was expected to rely on its deep squad to stabilize the situation and push for the club's first title, but when Rongcheng reached the championship point, their mentality completely collapsed. Throughout the match, Chengdu Rongcheng played cautiously and without structure. In contrast, Henan FC, under relegation pressure, fought aggressively at home and applied intense high pressing, suppressing Rongcheng in both attack and defense. The first half was fragmented, with yellow cards appearing frequently. Rongcheng struggled to maintain possession in midfield and made repeated passing errors, allowing their opponents to control both ends of the pitch. They failed to register a single effective shot on target, and their attacking system completely broke down. Even after making adjustments in the second half, the team still failed to regain form, with weak attacking play and poor coordination, unable to seriously threaten the opponent's goal and ultimately forced to settle for a draw.

After the match, captain Wei Shihao directly addressed the problem and revealed the truth in one sentence: the whole team was carrying too much pressure. He admitted that after reaching the championship point, the team's mentality became completely unsettled. The fear of losing while wanting to win spread throughout the squad, leading to stiff movements, reluctance to compete and hesitation in making plays, preventing them from showing their usual rhythm and level. Wei Shihao said Felipe's absence did affect the attack, but it was not an excuse for producing zero shots on target. The real issue was that the entire team faced excessive psychological pressure. Against Henan's intense pressing, Rongcheng could not match their opponents' fighting spirit, with midfield control lost, the front line disconnected and the overall attacking and defensive structure collapsing. He also stated that the title had only been delayed, not lost, and that the team only needed one more point from the remaining four rounds to win the championship. The squad would adjust its mentality and aim to secure the title at home. These brief remarks revealed two major weaknesses for Rongcheng. First, their ability to handle pressure in decisive matches was poor; the large championship advantage instead became a psychological burden, causing players to lose composure and perform below expectations in tough games. Second, the team relied too heavily on Felipe. Once the key striker was absent, the entire team struggled to create attacks, lacking an alternative scoring system and exposing squad limitations. In addition, weaknesses in midfield physical battles and the ability to adjust during adversity were fully revealed in this match.

Although the overall situation of the Chinese Super League title race is already clear, this embarrassing goalless draw with zero shots on target served as a major warning for Rongcheng. A large points advantage may help them win the league title, but if issues such as fragile mentality and a limited tactical system are not addressed in time, they could pay a heavy price when facing high-intensity matches in future AFC Champions League campaigns. Wei Shihao's post-match reflection was indeed clear-minded. Rongcheng will hope to completely remove their psychological burden, adjust their form, address their weaknesses, finish the remaining schedule steadily and successfully lift the Chinese Super League trophy.