The dream of a double champion has been shattered, and Rongcheng must wake up.

Reporter Lu Mi reports Because of their significant lead in the CSL, Rongcheng aimed to compete on two fronts, seeking a double champion. However, in the FA Cup round of 16 Southwest Derby, despite having a one-man advantage for an extended period, they lost to Yukun in penalties, ending their double champion hopes. Prior to that, they had also recorded three straight draws in the league.

Both sides fielded their strongest lineups. From the start, Rongcheng took the initiative, controlling the tempo with their skilled possession-based play and breaking the deadlock early. However, after taking the lead, the team became somewhat complacent, especially in defense, where they made frequent mistakes under Yukun's repeated attacks. Kayo leveled the score from a corner kick. Although Felipe scored twice with both his head and feet, Yukun refused to yield, threatening the goal guarded by Jian Tao multiple times in the latter part of the first half.

Early in the second half, Rongcheng saw a glimmer of hope: Ye Chugui was sent off with a straight red card after a clash with Romulo, leaving Rongcheng with a numerical advantage. However, in the following period, they failed to capitalize on the extra man, struggling to break through offensively and making unnecessary defensive errors. Yukun, on the other hand, remained calm and composed. Coach Joaquin switched to a three-center-back formation, with all players dropping back to form a tight defense, compensating for their numerical disadvantage with tenacious pressing.

Rongcheng's head coach, John Aloisi, made adjustments, substituting players and increasing long-range shots, but to little effect. Crosses, long shots, and combination plays all failed to produce results. Despite dominating possession, their attacks repeatedly came to nothing.

When Yukun equalized for the third time via a penalty, the outcome might have already been decided. Rongcheng failed to score a fourth time, including during extra time, and their penalty shootout performance was particularly poor.

Last year in the FA Cup, Rongcheng was also eliminated by Henan in a penalty shootout. This time, they fell again.

Rongcheng's three experienced foreign players—Romulo, Silva, and Sorokin—all missed their penalties, which came as a surprise to everyone. Although Jian Tao saved penalties from Yi Teng and Duan Liuyu, his teammates' failures left him helpless. As Oscar converted the final spot-kick, Rongcheng was knocked out.

Since July, Rongcheng has gone winless in four matches across both competitions, with three consecutive draws in the league and elimination from the FA Cup after playing with an extra man for 80 minutes. Their form has clearly been off. After the match, John Aloisi expressed disappointment, saying, "We wanted to achieve better results in the cup, but now we're out, which is a pity. We actually had chances to win the game, and we were always in the lead, especially when it was 3-2. We should have played with more confidence, but the opponent equalized from a penalty. They sat deep, and we tried to find a way through, but without success. In the penalty shootout, the players taking the kicks felt immense pressure—I've been through that myself. So, regardless, I hope everyone supports them."

With their FA Cup exit, Rongcheng's double champion dream is over. Although they still lead the CSL by 14 points at the top of the table, their recent decline in performance should be a cause for concern. This weekend, they face Guoan at home, and having just played this exhausting match at high altitude, it remains questionable whether they can secure a win on their own turf.