First time in club history reaching the FA Cup final! Henan team proudly emerges from the “group of death,” aiming for the championship as their 31st anniversary approaches.

Reported by Lu Mi Yet another challenging away game, yet another advancement via penalties! Back in May, when the FA Cup round of 16 draw was revealed, nobody expected Henan to outlast Shandong Taishan, Chengdu Rongcheng, and the Shanghai duo in the so-called “group of death.” As Henan prepares to celebrate its 31st birthday, the team has delivered a huge surprise to fans who’ve supported them for over three decades. Their resilience keeps this underdog squad alive, and now, marching into Suzhou, they’ll set their sights on the trophy!

They haven’t secured their spot in the league yet, and collecting points has been tough. Nevertheless, their pursuit of the FA Cup remains undeterred—something rarely seen in previous seasons. After eliminating Shanghai Shenhua in a penalty shootout away from home, they now face another semi-final on the road in a stadium famed for its intimidating atmosphere. Henan shows no sign of backing down.

Before this semi-final, both Chengdu Rongcheng and Henan rotated their squads in the league, with Rongcheng making more changes to focus on the cup. Unsurprisingly, both sides fielded their strongest lineups for this match. With Xu Jiamin injured, Wang Guoming continued in goal for Henan. Unexpectedly, just as Xu Jiamin had saved the team in the previous penalty shootout, the goalkeeper again became the key factor this time.

Despite heavy rain, over 40,000 fans packed Phoenix Hill Stadium. Chengdu Rongcheng, with home advantage, immediately launched their trademark wing attacks, but their first attempt fell flat. Henan’s two tall center-backs dominated the aerial duels, neutralizing every high ball threat.

Chengdu Rongcheng’s ground attacks were consistently disrupted by Henan’s defensive positioning, leaving Romulo with few chances for his usual stylish passes. Their set plays brought little reward. Clearly, Henan had done their homework, especially on defense, matching up one-on-one and anticipating Chengdu’s tactics. After weathering the early pressure, Henan began probing with counterattacks to break down their opponent’s defense.

After all, Chengdu Rongcheng has conceded the fewest goals in the Super League, so breaking through their defense demands patience. Chengdu has plenty of attacking options up front and uses constant movement and position switches to pull Henan’s defenders out of place, but Henan’s formation remained solid and disciplined, holding their rhythm even under intense pressure.

Henan hit the post once in each half, while Chengdu Rongcheng managed 22 shots throughout the match. Yet neither side could find the net. The contest was fierce, but neither could break the deadlock; in this battle of endurance, resilience was the deciding factor.

It wasn’t until the 79th minute of regular time that substitutions began—partly due to a packed August schedule, with both teams playing more games than other Super League sides; partly because the hot, rainy conditions made this match even more physically demanding. Such late changes showed both coaches were ready for extra time.

Henan, however, clearly had more experience. Their substitutions were made with a potential penalty shootout in mind, knowing that Chengdu Rongcheng’s squad depth and quality were superior. Playing away, Henan needed every ounce of determination and support from their players to keep their hopes alive.

Whether seizing crucial attacking chances or executing targeted defensive moves, Ramos and the entire squad responded with impressive composure. Having endured the intensity of the 80,000-seat stadium before, they were unfazed by any away pressure.

In the penalty shootout, Henan sent only Cardoso as a forward, with the other four takers all defenders. Except for Ma Ya, who missed, everyone else scored confidently. In the final round, Ye Lijiang stepped up first and converted, showing nerves of steel. Chengdu’s foreign import Timo then saw his shot saved by Wang Guoming, marking a historic moment for Henan.

In the previous FA Cup round at the 80,000-seat stadium, Xu Jiamin kept Henan in the game by saving multiple penalties under immense pressure, sending his team to the semi-finals. This time, with Xu Jiamin injured, Wang Guoming stepped up in a tense match, making crucial saves and turning the tide in the decisive shootout. Henan’s traveling fans witnessed history being made, adding another glorious chapter to the club’s 30-year story.

Perhaps this year’s battle for survival will remain tough, but Henan’s performance has given fans renewed hope. For Chengdu Rongcheng, who had their sights set on the title, this defeat was bitterly disappointing. Had they cleared this hurdle, they might well have become champions this year. But football doesn’t deal in “what ifs.” Coach Xu Zhengyuan had already worried about the squad’s depth with three competitions at once; now, with one less front to fight on, the team may be able to focus more on the league title race—especially since the gap to the top is only three points.