John Aloisi’s Chengdu Need One Point to Win Historic Chinese Super League Title

Chengdu Rongcheng have a title in reach, but their collapse in form has turned the Chinese Super League finale into a high-stakes test of nerve. John Aloisi’s side need one point away to Shandong Taishan on Sunday, November 8, to claim the club’s first league championship.

Chengdu lead Dalian Yingbo by three points, 52 to 49. A win or draw settles the race regardless of Dalian’s result. But if Chengdu lose and Dalian beat Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, both teams will finish on 52 points—and Dalian will take the title on head-to-head record.

That rule gives Dalian a route to the trophy despite Chengdu’s 13-goal advantage in overall goal difference. The challengers beat Chengdu 2-0 at home in May and 1-0 away on October 24. In this race, those results matter more than the goals Chengdu have accumulated elsewhere.

The title equation

The final fixtures are scheduled simultaneously. Chengdu travel to fourth-placed Shandong Taishan, while Dalian host 12th-placed Tianjin. Chengdu will still finish first if they lose and Dalian fail to win. A Dalian victory, paired with a Chengdu defeat, would instead produce the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The pressure is striking because Chengdu once appeared to have the race under control. They held a 14-point lead with five matches left. Since then, that cushion has vanished: the team have gone four league games without a win and have scored in none of them.

A title push derailed by a scoring drought

The slide began with a 0-0 draw against Henan, followed by defeats to Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, reigning champions Shanghai Port and Dalian. Chengdu have managed just two wins across their past 13 league matches, including three consecutive losses.

The Dalian defeat carried particular weight. Chengdu needed only a draw to clinch the championship, but Felipe missed a first-half penalty and Mamadou Traore later headed Dalian into the lead. Hu Hetao appeared to rescue a stoppage-time equaliser, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

A three-week break around October’s international window had also interrupted the campaign. Chengdu were unable to use the period to finish the job, and their subsequent run has left them facing a final-day contest with little margin for error.

After the loss to Shanghai Port on October 18, Aloisi spoke about the need to keep the players’ belief intact. “Confidence is absolutely essential; it’s crucial,” he said. “The current result is disheartening, and I’m determined to lead the team to victory. Neither I nor the team can lose confidence.”

He added that winning the championship “will never be an easy road” and urged the team to show courage, mental strength and their full potential. Those qualities now have a direct bearing on whether Chengdu can turn a season-long lead into the club’s first CSL crown.

What the championship would mean

For Chengdu, founded in 2018, the title would mark the club’s first Chinese Super League championship. Aloisi is also chasing a landmark in his first overseas coaching role. Chengdu finished third last season, and Aloisi joined after leaving Western United, where he won the 2022 A-League championship.

A title would make him only the second Australian head coach to win the Chinese top flight, after Kevin Muscat. Muscat led Shanghai Port to consecutive CSL titles in 2024 and 2025. Dalian, meanwhile, have been coached with Australian Mark Rudan among the staff; he has led teams including Western United, Wellington Phoenix and Western Sydney Wanderers.

Aloisi arrived at Chengdu after the unexpected resignation of longtime coach Seo Jung-won in December. Seo had held the role for five years, leaving the club to find a replacement quickly. Aloisi now works with Australian staff members Diogo Ferreira, Harry Reading, Alex Calder and Shane Carr.

Chengdu’s final-day task is clear, even if the recent performances make it anything but routine. A point at Shandong would settle the title; a defeat would leave their fate tied to Dalian’s result and a tiebreaker that favors the challengers.