Chinese media: Beijing Guoan used a reserve team, that's why CAHN pressured them

Beijing Guoan changed 10 positions compared to the last match lost 0-2 to Henan.

163.com wrote: "Coach Setien rotated up to 10 players in this match, with only Zhang Xizhe, the player who started in the previous match, being retained. This club's failure to use the optimal lineup in international tournaments is actually a precedent. The last time Guoan played in the AFC Champions League was in July 2021, when they fielded an all-young squad and lost 0-4 to Kawasaki Frontale."

This time, the situation forced coach Setien to consider dividing his forces because he was facing the risk of losing his job. After 2 consecutive losses in the last 2 rounds, the club president sent an ultimatum, asking Setien to help his team defeat Shanghai Port at the weekend to keep his seat. That is the reason the former Barca coach kept the strongest force, playing all out for the big match in the National Championship.

However, Chinese media still had to admit the dominance of the guests from Vietnam. Sohu newspaper wrote: “This match is a difficult challenge for Beijing Gouan. The team is in poor form with 2 consecutive losses in the National Championship and is increasingly far from the championship race. Beijing Gouan really needs a win to relieve the pressure. However, winning 3 points against CAHN is not an easy task. Hanoi has 8 foreign players and a number of Vietnamese players, making them a formidable team."

Sina newspaper emphasized that this was a somewhat lucky draw for the home team Beijing Guoan. "The first half took place with Beijing Guoan at a disadvantage. They had to continuously defend against attacks from CAHN and as a result, the visitors took a 1-0 lead. After changing the field, Hanoi Police launched a series of quick attacks with three strikers. However, their defense, especially the goalkeeper, made mistakes, giving Beijing Gouan the opportunity to equalize 1-1," Sina wrote.

"Not long after that, Nguyen Filip passed the ball straight to the opponent, creating an opportunity for a Beijing Gouan player to shoot the ball into an empty net, helping the home team take a 2-1 lead. By the 73rd minute, the Vietnamese representative equalized 2-2 before pressing the field for most of the remaining time. Fortunately, in the remaining 9 minutes, Beijing Guoan did not lose any more. They drew 2-2 with CAHN."