Reporter Wang Wei reported On the evening of July 18, Guangzhou Leopard hosted Dalian Kunshan at Yuexiu Mountain Stadium. After falling behind by two goals in the first half, they managed to equalize in the second half with goals from Ma Junliang and Nikon, ending the match in a 2-2 draw. On July 22 (Tuesday) at 8 PM, Guangzhou Leopard will challenge Yunnan Yukun away in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Key moment: Mu Xiequ steals the spotlight

In the last round of the China League One, Guangzhou Leopard lost 0-2 away to Yanbian Longding, marking their fourth defeat of the season and widening the gap with the top two teams. Therefore, this home match against Dalian Kunshan was crucial—this round featured a direct clash between Liaoning Iron Man and Chongqing Tonglianglong. If Guangzhou Leopard could secure three points against Dalian Kunshan, it would narrow the gap with the promotion zone.

However, Dalian Kunshan is not easy to handle. In the first leg of their match, Guangzhou Leopard was fortunate to score two late goals to win 2-0. During this summer transfer window, Dalian Kunshan signed foreign striker Dominic, and with captain Mu Xiequ, their attacking strength is among the best in China League One.

Facing the strengthened Dalian Kunshan, Guangzhou Leopard is also well-prepared. They need to solve the problem of breaking through tight defenses and show determination in tough matches. Unfortunately, their main striker and captain Carlos is suspended due to accumulating four yellow cards, leaving them to rely on two foreign players, with Xia Dalong stepping in for Carlos and 17-year-old goalkeeper Xue Sibo continuing as the starter.

Upgraded Dalian Kunshan proved to be tough, taking the initiative from the start, with Mu Xiequ scoring in the 7th minute. In the 29th minute, Guangzhou Leopard conceded another goal as Mu Xiequ headed in from a corner kick. Guangzhou Leopard found themselves in trouble, and in the 33rd minute, starting midfielder Hou Yu was injured and carried off on a stretcher. In the second half, Guangzhou Leopard launched a vigorous counterattack and was favored by fortune, scoring two quick goals from Ma Junliang and Nikon within three minutes. The equalizer raised their morale, and they pressured their opponents heavily, but ultimately could not change the score, settling for one point at home.

After the match, Guangzhou Leopard's head coach Li Bing expressed slight regret over the draw, stating, "We had made arrangements before the match based on the opponent's use of two tall forwards. In the first half, we were caught off guard by the opponent's opportunities. After adjusting at halftime, we equalized, but unfortunately, after leveling the score, the players were a bit hasty in their decision-making. I hope we can achieve more victories in future matches."

Before the match, old friends gather first

With the FA Cup quarter-final against Yunnan Yukun confirmed for the evening of July 22, and the China League One round 17 matches scheduled for July 19 and 20, Guangzhou Leopard applied to move their match against Dalian Kunshan forward to July 18 to allow ample preparation time for the FA Cup. This shows that Guangzhou Leopard is well-prepared in all aspects for this away challenge against the new Super League team.

This FA Cup knockout match is like a "reunion of old friends": Tang Miao, who just joined Yunnan Yukun from Chengdu Rongcheng this summer, has been given a starting opportunity, reuniting with old teammates from Guangzhou City such as Ye Chuguai, Li Songyi, and Yi Teng. In Guangzhou Leopard's squad, head coach Li Bing, assistant coach Xiao Zhi, and players Jiang Jihong (who just transferred from Yunnan Yukun to Guangzhou Leopard this season), Zeng Chao, Ma Junliang, and Huang Shenghao have all previously worked at Guangzhou City. This FA Cup match allows these old teammates to reunite in Yuxi, making it a special occasion.

Interestingly, Yunnan Yukun, as a new Super League team, advanced to the FA Cup quarter-finals after eliminating two China League One teams, Dingnan Ganlian and Shaanxi United. In contrast, Guangzhou Leopard, as a new China League One team, has pulled off consecutive surprises, defeating two Super League teams, Shenzhen Xinpengcheng and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, to reach the quarter-finals. This matchup raises an interesting question: will Yunnan Yukun continue to "ignore" the existence of China League One teams, or will Guangzhou Leopard continue to "challenge the hierarchy"? This is a key point of interest for this match. In the FA Cup away challenge against Yunnan Yukun, Guangzhou Leopard may still field a lineup combining experience with youth. While reaching the FA Cup semi-finals is tempting, Guangzhou Leopard's primary focus this season remains on the China League One.

After completing the 17th round of the China League One, Guangzhou Leopard's promotion prospects have become quite delicate. Having only earned one point in the last two matches, their points have now been surpassed by Yanbian Longding, dropping them to fourth place in the league. Even with one game in hand, they are still seven points behind second-placed Chongqing Tonglianglong. Although a seven-point gap is not insurmountable, overcoming it is quite challenging. Therefore, timely adjustments to the team's overall state and performing well in every league match is crucial. On the evening of July 27 (Sunday), in the 18th round of the China League One, Guangzhou Leopard will host Dingnan Ganlian, and these three points are essential and must be secured.

On July 3, the Guangzhou Leopard club announced a recruitment notice through its official platform, globally seeking a technical director, youth training director, and medical director. It is understood that the club has already received around fifty to sixty applications.