Key points

  • Chengdu Rongcheng surrendered a 12-point lead and lost four successive matches to miss out on the Chinese Super League title, according to BBC Sport.
  • A 3-2 final-day defeat to Shandong Taishan and Dalian Yingbo's 3-1 victory over Tianjin Tiger left both teams level on 52 points, with Dalian taking the trophy on head-to-head records, BBC Sport reported.
  • BBC Sport noted that the collapse mirrors famous football title misses, including Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United in 1995-96.

According to BBC Sport, Chengdu Rongcheng suffered one of the most remarkable title collapses in football history after throwing away a 12-point advantage in the Chinese Super League. John Aloisi's side picked up only one point from their final five matches, culminating in a 3-2 loss to Shandong Taishan on the final day of the season.

Key Details

BBC Sport reported that Chengdu needed just a single point from their final fixture to secure the Li Guozu trophy. However, they found themselves trailing 2-0 within the opening 25 minutes after goals from Raphael Merkies and Guilherme Madruga. Felipe Silva and Wellington Silva later scored for Chengdu, while Cryzan netted for Shandong, sealing a 3-2 scoreline, according to BBC Sport.

Simultaneously, Dalian Yingbo secured the title by defeating Tianjin Tiger 3-1, as reported by BBC Sport. Dalian collected 15 points from their last five games, finishing level with Chengdu on 52 points. BBC Sport stated that Dalian claimed the championship due to a superior head-to-head record, having defeated Chengdu in the penultimate game of the season. Dalian's final-day victory featured goals from Yang Mingrui, Xadas, Liao Jintao, and Huang Shan, according to BBC Sport.

Context and Impact

BBC Sport highlighted that Chengdu's late-season slump ranks alongside historic football collapses, drawing comparisons to Newcastle United losing a 12-point lead to Manchester United in the 1995-96 Premier League, and Manchester United surrendering a similar advantage to Arsenal in the 1997-98 campaign. The failure marks a bitter end for manager John Aloisi, whose playing career included stints at Portsmouth and Coventry City, as detailed by BBC Sport.

Summary and What Next

BBC Sport reported that Dalian capitalized on Chengdu's slide to lift the trophy in front of their home supporters. The final standings confirmed Dalian as champions on head-to-head superiority after a frantic conclusion to the domestic season.