Reporter Wang Wei reports In the 12th round of the China League One on the evening of June 27, Meizhou Hakka caused a big surprise, beating Nantong Zhiyun 3-1 on the road with a hat-trick from foreign player Tribolet. Following the coaching change, Meizhou Hakka has gone two games without defeat, earning four points, and simultaneously snapping the opponent's unbeaten home streak of six wins this season.

Changing coaches and reinforcements for self-rescue

Nantong Zhiyun, playing at home, sits firmly in third place in the China League One and is widely regarded as a strong contender for promotion this season. Looking at the overall performance over the first 11 rounds, Nantong Zhiyun has accumulated 22 points, just one point behind the league leaders Guangzhou Leopards, with stable offense and defense (11 goals scored and 6 conceded). However, upon closer inspection, Nantong Zhiyun appears to be a "one-legged horse": they are formidable at home, winning all six home matches this season, scoring 8 goals and conceding just 1; away from home, they have failed to win in five games, with four draws and one loss. Based on their away performances, Nantong Zhiyun hardly looks like a promotion-bound team. In contrast, Meizhou Hakka, despite being at the bottom of the table, has performed better on the road than at home. In the first 11 matches, Meizhou Hakka had a home record of 1 win, 1 draw, and 4 losses, scoring 6 goals but conceding 15—the most home goals conceded in the same period. However, in five away matches, they achieved 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.

Meizhou Hakka has been deducted a total of 9 points in two separate penalties this season. Combined with the team's fluctuating form, to reverse the slump and boost morale, the club completed a coaching staff change in early June. On June 8, they officially announced Zhu Jiong as the first-team head coach, Liu Yintao as the team leader, and Joaquín Serafim as assistant coach. At the same time, the club expressed gratitude to the previous coaching staff, including Zhang Xiaorui, for their contributions to team building and the development of young players during their tenure.

In addition to changing coaches, Meizhou Hakka strengthened their squad during the secondary transfer window. On June 25, they announced the arrival of four new signings: foreign midfielder Saki, Hong Kong defender Yu Weilian, and experienced players Zhu Baojie and Wang Hanyi. The arrival of multiple new players, combined with the tactical adjustments of the new coaching staff, brought significant changes to the team. In the away match against the stronger Nantong Zhiyun, new signings Saki and Yu Weilian started, while Zhu Baojie and Wang Hanyi were on the bench.

Once the match began, Meizhou Hakka displayed strong tactical discipline on the road, showing no fear against the strong opponent and resolutely executing a counter-attacking strategy. Just three minutes into the game, Meizhou Hakka got a dream start when foreign striker Tribolet unleashed a long-range rocket from outside the box to give the team a 1-0 lead. This goal also made Tribolet the team's top scorer with four league goals, surpassing Yang Chaosheng.

After the break, Meizhou Hakka launched another lightning attack. In the 47th minute, debutant new signing Saki delivered a precise cross, and Tribolet quickly reacted at the near post, heading the ball into the net to extend the lead to 2-0. In this match, Saki, who previously played for French club Auxerre for several years, revitalized Meizhou Hakka's midfield and also sparked Tribolet's attacking form.

Trailing by two goals, Nantong Zhiyun fought back hard and managed to pull one back to make it 2-1, but Meizhou Hakka quickly steadied themselves. In the 89th minute, they launched another sharp counterattack, with Tribolet scoring on a one-on-one chance to complete his hat-trick, sealing the score at 3-1 and breaking the opponent's perfect home record.

Saki's arrival unlocks Tribolet's potential

In this match, the standout performances of several new signings were key to Meizhou Hakka's victory. The new foreign midfielder Saki, who replaced Popescu, boasts experience in Ligue 1, the AFC Champions League, and the African Intercontinental Cup. He excelled in both offense and defense, delivered precise passes, and elevated the team's midfield control. Yu Weilian, with years of professional league experience, played as a center-back with solid defending and accurate positioning, strengthening the team's defensive foundation. The addition of these four new players made the team's attacking and defensive system more organized and efficient.

It is worth noting that newly-joined Zhu Baojie shares a deep mentor-protégé relationship with Meizhou Hakka's new coach Zhu Jiong. The pair have reunited at Meizhou Hakka, becoming a major highlight of the squad's upgrade. Their reunion allows Zhu Baojie to maximize his midfield organizational strengths and implement Zhu Jiong's tactical philosophy. Since taking over Meizhou Hakka, Zhu Jiong has played two away matches, drawing 1-1 with Wuxi Wugou and winning 3-1 against Nantong Zhiyun. These four points are highly valuable. The Meizhou Hakka club stated that they will take the hard-fought away victory over Nantong Zhiyun as an opportunity to summarize match experience, address weaknesses, and prepare wholeheartedly for subsequent matches. They aim to steadily advance toward their relegation survival goal, strive for more achievements in future games, and deliver more exciting performances to the fans.