Continue to support or refuse to be a backdrop? Jiading Huilong aims to defend its home glory

Reported by reporter Luming On October 6, 2024, Yunnan Yukun defeated Shanghai Jiading Huilong 2-0 at home, securing promotion four rounds ahead of schedule; on November 3, 2024, Dalian Yingbo beat Shanghai Jiading Huilong 2-1 at home, returning Dalian football to the Super League; on November 8, 2025, Shanghai Jiading Huilong will face Chongqing Tonglianglong at home—will Jiading Huilong keep supporting others' promotion or refuse to be a backdrop again?

For Jiading Huilong, which has already secured its league status early, this match is not related to their own promotion or relegation but carries great significance in giving back to home fans and defending home pride. A club insider said in an interview that Shanghai Jiading Huilong will approach the home game with full spirit to conclude the 2025 season perfectly.

Looking back at this season, Jiading Huilong still operated with an annual budget of around ten million yuan, balancing the first team’s participation in the China League One and supporting youth training. With relegation avoidance as the goal, the team faced continuous injuries to foreign players; Amou underwent surgery mid-season, and another foreign player, Magno, had to be replaced after surgery. Despite key players’ absences affecting squad strength, stable performances allowed them to secure safety three rounds early. By round 29, Shanghai Jiading Huilong had 8 wins, 6 draws, and 15 losses, accumulating 30 points and ranking 12th in League One temporarily.

Although they lost 15 matches in the first 29 rounds, it is worth noting that Jiading Huilong’s home performance was relatively strong, achieving 5 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses in 14 home games this season, with a home unbeaten rate close to 65%. On November 1, Jiading Huilong lost 1-2 away to second-last Guangxi Pingguo, a match that felt more like a “tactical exercise.” The coach rotated several positions to conserve energy for the final game and to give young players experience. U21 players such as Xia Yupeng, Shui Miao, Zou Yourong, Zhou Junhao, and Qu Yanheng appeared in this match. Despite limited financial investment, Shanghai Jiading Huilong has consistently prioritized youth training. This season, first-team player Li Zifan was selected for the U18 national men’s football training squad, and player Li Xinan scored in the China League Two. So far, youth players developed by Shanghai Jiading Huilong Football Club have achieved milestones including league appearances, team captaincy, Super League debuts, top-tier league appearances, assists and goals in the league, and appearances in national teams.

The Jiading Huilong club stated that there is one final league match remaining this season, with the core objective of this closing game being to “defend home glory.” The tactical plan will focus on “solid defense plus efficient counterattacks.” For two consecutive seasons, Shanghai Jiading Huilong has played the role of “promotion gatekeeper.” Last season, Yunnan Yukun and Dalian Yingbo both secured promotion by defeating Jiading Huilong. In this season’s final match, they remain the “gatekeeper” for Chongqing Tonglianglong’s promotion hopes. According to the current competition situation, Tonglianglong must beat Jiading Huilong in the last round to achieve promotion; otherwise, their fate depends on Guangzhou Baobao’s results.

Tactically, the foreign striker Kofi, who scored 10 goals this season, received a red card in the previous round against Guangxi Pingguo and will miss the final home match against Chongqing Tonglianglong. This absence is a huge blow to Jiading Huilong’s attack, as his goals account for nearly 40% of the team’s total. However, this time Jiading Huilong refuses to be a backdrop for other teams’ promotion. Even without their offensive core, they will defend their home honor with tight defense, efficient counterattacks, and fierce determination—writing an impressive ending to the 2025 season and building confidence and strength for next season’s journey.