Changchun Yatai, coached by Portugal’s Ricardo Soares, faces imminent relegation from China’s top-tier football league as its fate now rests on the results of rival teams after a crushing weekend defeat.
The team’s 0-4 home loss to Beijing Guoan on Saturday solidified their last-place position in the standings. This defeat extended their winless streak to seven consecutive matches.
Changchun Yatai currently sits at the bottom of the league table with 19 points. Relegation could be confirmed as early as Sunday.
The team is two points behind both Meizhou Hakka and Qingdao Hainiu. Qingdao Hainiu, currently in 14th place, is scheduled to play Wuhan Three Towns on Sunday.
Should Qingdao Hainiu secure any points from their match, Changchun Yatai will be automatically relegated to the second division.
However, if Qingdao Hainiu loses on Sunday, Changchun Yatai will have a final opportunity to avoid demotion on the 30th and last matchday of the season.
For survival on the final day, Changchun Yatai must win their match. They would also need one of their direct rivals, Qingdao Hainiu or Meizhou Hakka, to fail to win.
Decisions regarding the bottom places in the league might also be determined by head-to-head points among the three teams.
In that scenario, Changchun Yatai holds an advantage over Meizhou Hakka, having secured victories of 3-1 and 1-0 against them. Conversely, Changchun Yatai is at a disadvantage against Qingdao Hainiu, with a 3-0 loss and a 2-2 draw in their encounters.