Unexpectedly, another warm-up match during the winter break has left fans surprised as the title contenders conceded three goals in just eight minutes, suffering a 3-2 reversal at the hands of the promoted team. Fans are now saying that letting go of one player was a mistake!
Among the current Chinese Super League teams, there are not many capable of challenging for the championship. Besides the Shanghai duo, only Beijing Guoan stands a chance, with Chengdu Rongcheng still lacking in strength. Beijing Guoan's goal has always been to strive for the top, not necessarily to win first place, but to inspire the team and encourage players to be enterprising and fearless in the face of difficulties.
In the 2024 season, Beijing Guoan missed out on the championship, but they did secure a spot in the AFC Champions League thanks to Shanghai Port's double championship. For the 2025 season, Beijing Guoan is undoubtedly aiming to improve further, so they made adjustments to their squad during the winter transfer window, releasing five players, including two veterans Zhang Chengdong and Yu Dabao, as well as foreign player Mamadou.
During the winter break, Beijing Guoan's biggest gain was securing Serginho, allowing the team to have an additional foreign player for the new season, making the club a strong contender for the 2025 Chinese Super League title. After releasing players and bringing in new signings, the team naturally needs time to gel. On January 21st, Beijing Guoan faced newly promoted Dalian Yingbo in a friendly match.
In terms of starting lineups, Dalian Yingbo only fielded Kalanga, while Beijing Guoan started with four foreign players. However, as the game progressed, Dalian Yingbo brought on Mamadou, Malele, and Alimi. Beijing Guoan played with an all-Chinese lineup, giving Endjau some time to find his rhythm towards the end.
Just six minutes into the first half, Beijing Guoan took the lead with an assist from Duan and a goal from Fabio, who broke through the offside trap for a one-on-one finish. Twelve minutes later, Nabi Jiang's cross from the flank led to an own goal by Jin Pengxiang due to a defensive error. Dalian Yingbo had a chance to equalize in the first half, but Kalanga missed a one-on-one opportunity and then hit the post with a shot.
In the 78th minute of the second half, Dalian Yingbo launched a counterattack, with new signing Malele showing no hesitation against a one-on-one situation to pull one back for the team. Just one minute later, Malele assisted the 38-year-old veteran Yan Xiangchuang to level the score at 2-2. In the 85th minute, Liu Yi, who transferred from Yunnan Yulong, scored from a tight angle at the far post to complete the comeback for Dalian Yingbo.
From this match, it can be seen that Beijing Guoan's defense became a significant weakness after letting go of Mamadou. In the 2024 season, Beijing Guoan's qualification for the AFC Champions League was largely due to Mamadou's contributions. Unexpectedly, the arrival of the new coach negated Mamadou's tactical role, sending him to Dalian Yingbo. It can be said that Beijing Guoan's transfer operation was truly a blunder!