Henan team shines in both FA Cup advancement and dominant CSL victory!

Reporter Lu Mi reports Henan team made history by advancing to the FA Cup final; returning to the league, they also set new records. On the night of the 24th in the CSL match, Henan beat Dalian Yifang 4-0, their biggest winning margin this season. With this 3-point gain, Henan’s total points reached 22, 7 points ahead of the relegation zone teams. The players collectively delivered the best gift to the club, which will celebrate its 31st anniversary at the end of August.

On the evening of the 19th in the FA Cup semifinal, Henan endured 120 minutes of play and advanced by winning a penalty shootout against Chengdu Rongcheng. The team's performance thrilled the fans, raising their expectations for the CSL. The match against Dalian Yifang was highly anticipated; tickets sold out quickly after release. Fans displayed a huge TIFO at the stadium to celebrate the club’s upcoming 31st anniversary, hoping to see the team secure a smooth league victory.

After the tough FA Cup battle, Ramos hinted at rotation before the league match against Yifang, but it was clearly a bluff. Ramos still fielded the full-strength starting lineup, with the foreign trio of Achimpeon, Cardoso, and Nazario leading the attack. Achimpeon’s speed and breakthroughs combined with Cardoso’s central assaults posed a dual threat to Dalian’s defense.

Henan started strong; within 10 minutes, Cardoso was fouled by a defender inside the penalty area during a one-on-one chance. After video review, the referee awarded a penalty, which Cardoso converted himself to put the team ahead. Henan controlled the game tempo and restricted the opponent’s transition speed in midfield.

In the 30th minute, Achimpeon crossed from the left to the penalty area, where Maya headed to extend the lead. One minute later, the stadium lights formed a “starlight” display, and fans chose this moment to celebrate the club’s birthday in this special way.

Henan did not slow down in the first half despite the FA Cup exertions; after leading by two goals, they maintained high pressure on the opponent. In the 41st minute, Maya scored his second goal. Just before halftime, Achimpeon received a brilliant pass from a teammate, outpaced the defender, and scored a one-on-one goal. By halftime, Henan had built a 4-goal lead.

In their first meeting this season, Henan lost 0-1 away to Dalian Yifang. At that time, Henan’s coach was still Nan Ji Yi, and the team’s tactical system was completely different from the current Ramos era. Since the Portuguese coach took over, the team’s attack has become smoother, with midfielders’ continuous passing and movement significantly improving their chance creation.

In the second half, Ramos substituted the slightly injured Huang Ruifeng, then gradually took off local key players based on the match situation. Henan intentionally controlled the pace and secured their defense. Neither side could change the score further, and Henan achieved their most convincing victory this season. Since their 1-0 away win over Changchun Yatai on May 11, the team had rarely kept a clean sheet in the league. With Changchun Yatai and Qingdao Hainiu recently improving their form, Henan’s 3 points in this match were crucial, helping them widen the points gap and secure a favorable position in the relegation battle.

“Our first half performance was excellent. We took control from the start and kept the momentum going; in the second half, we also kept a clean sheet, which is very important. The players fully executed our training plans, with ideal coordination and physical advantage. This clean sheet is significant, and we hope the team can maintain this strong form in the remaining league matches. We are very grateful for the fans’ continued support. Their amazing atmosphere in the stadium fueled our fighting spirit in the first half. We play for them; their support is our greatest motivation in training,” said Ramos.