The ultimate showdown of the FA Cup: Will Guoan claim their fifth title or will Henan secure their first?

Written by Lumi and guest contributor Song Ci At 7 PM on December 6th, the FA Cup final will be held in Suzhou. Will Guoan win their fifth title this season despite middling results in the Super League and AFC Champions League 2, or will Henan, who finished tenth in the Super League, claim their first championship?

After the defeat to Hanoi Police in the AFC Champions League 2, Guoan did not return to Beijing but headed directly to Suzhou, arriving early at Yangcheng Lake Football Park for preparations. Over the past week, besides focusing on tactical plans against Henan and targeted training for key players, the coaching staff and club have also worked hard to help players overcome the shadow of recent matches.

Before the match, when asked if the AFC Champions League 2 loss would affect the FA Cup final, interim coach Ramiro stated that the FA Cup final is a unique game and the team will not be influenced by any external factors. “Our objective for this match is very clear; we know exactly what we need to do.”

Top scorer Fabio said, “Honestly, I barely remember that game. In football, you can’t win every match. The AFC Champions League 2 game is behind us. After the final whistle, when we returned to our hotel in Vietnam, the entire team focused solely on the FA Cup final. We will be fully concentrated and give our best effort.”

It’s worth noting that although Fabio scored 28 goals this season in the Super League and won the Golden Boot, he has failed to score in five matches against Henan over the past three seasons. When asked if this is pressure or motivation, Fabio confidently replied, “Maybe I will open my scoring account in this game, but I want to emphasize again that the team’s interests come before personal goals. The most important thing is that we lift the trophy after the match. Of course, there are a few teams I haven’t scored against yet, and hopefully, after tomorrow’s game, that number will decrease by one.”

If Fabio scores, he will tie Bakambu’s record of 58 goals, ranking third all-time in the club’s scoring charts. Additionally, Zhang Xizhe has scored 9 goals in the FA Cup; if he scores again in this match, he will equal Xu Yunlong as the club’s top FA Cup goal scorers.

Guoan has no suspensions for this match, and even some long-term injured players have returned to the squad. For example, goalkeeper Han Jiaqi, who was injured earlier this year, will be available. In this crucial game, all Guoan members will stand united.

This is Guoan’s seventh appearance in the FA Cup final, having won four times before. Their last FA Cup victory was in 2018, with players like Zhang Xizhe, Hou Sen, Li Lei, Chi Zhongguo, and Wang Ziming all part of the squad.

Guoan is familiar with Suzhou Olympic Sports Center, having played many tournament matches there in recent years. Last year, they even played the first round of the FA Cup at this venue. However, Guoan’s fans are far fewer than Henan’s for this match, with only around 7,000 attendees compared to Henan’s 20,000.

Henan’s preparation actually began after their penalty shootout victory over Rongcheng in the semifinals. With the Super League relegation battle settled early, the team shifted its strategic focus fully to the FA Cup, undergoing over a month of systematic training covering tactics, fitness, medical care, psychology, and logistics.

During the break, the team traveled to Thailand for a closed training camp, refining tactical details through warm-up matches against Rayong and Port FC. After the league ended, they moved to Shanghai to adapt to the weather. In a full-strength friendly, they won 6-2 against a Shanghai Port team without foreign players, regaining scoring form and preserving core players’ fitness. Since arriving at the competition zone on December 1st, they have conducted final closed training at Taihu Football Center, focusing on recovery, tactical review, and emergency drills with meticulous attention to detail.

A full-strength roster is Henan’s greatest confidence booster, with insiders revealing that “the players are very confident.”

In the last round of the league, main striker Cardoso was not listed in the squad, and key attacker Achim Peng was substituted before the end to avoid injury risks. Notably, Achim, whose contract is about to expire, has received a renewal offer from the club and is likely to continue.

With a self-driven tactical approach, Henan adapts smoothly to opponents’ changes. Since Ramos took charge, the team has embraced an attacking style of play with flexible tactics. The coaching staff carefully analyzed videos to identify Guoan’s patterns in offense, conceding goals, and set pieces, conducting targeted training on set-piece routines, quick counterattacks from midfield interceptions, and defensive line coordination.

In terms of overall strength, Henan is still slightly behind Guoan, but with a relaxed mindset of “exceeding seasonal goals,” they might perform even better while chasing their first-ever title.

At the pre-match press conference, Ramos first expressed pride in leading the team to the FA Cup final, “Reaching the FA Cup final is something to celebrate; it’s a very important day. The final means a lot, and we have ambitions to achieve a good result. Although we don’t know the outcome yet, we will give our all. The players are in a good mindset. Even though we have less pressure, we will fight for our dreams. We are here to enjoy the moment, the atmosphere, and to battle.”

When asked about the larger number of Henan fans compared to Guoan fans, Ramos thanked the supporters, “Not only in the league but also in this match, we really appreciate their support. We will repay them with hard work and results, fighting for Henan.”

Wang Shangyuan also emphasized “enjoying the game,” saying, “We have enjoyed the journey so far. Tomorrow, on such a big stage with so many fans, we hope not to disappoint them and deliver a perfect match.” He pointed out that in a decisive game, mentality is crucial, “Tactics and coaching have been discussed a lot. Mentally, we are ready and hope to execute everything the coach demands. As for the result, it will come naturally.”

Henan has made history by reaching their first FA Cup final in 31 years, and now they aim to stand on the highest podium.