Aloisi apologises as Chengdu miss Chinese Super League title
Dalian Yingbo claimed the championship on head-to-head results after Chengdu Rongcheng lost their final match despite needing only a draw.
Australian coach John Aloisi has apologised to supporters after Chengdu Rongcheng lost to Shandong Taishan on the final day of the Chinese Super League season, allowing Dalian Yingbo to take the championship.
Chengdu needed a draw to clinch their first title. Shandong led 3-1 after 63 minutes, and although Wellington Silva scored for Chengdu, Aloisi’s team could not draw level.
Dalian entered the last round three points behind Chengdu and beat Tianjin Jinmen Tigers 3-1 before 60,000 spectators. Chengdu’s better goal difference did not decide the title: the league gives priority to head-to-head results, and Dalian had beaten them twice.
Aloisi said through a Chinese translator that he was deeply disappointed and apologised to fans who had travelled to support the team. He declined to discuss whether he would resign, saying the club needed to examine its shortcomings over the final five matches.
The former Socceroos player joined the Chinese league in January after coaching Western United to the A-League championship in 2021/2022. Fellow Australian Marko Rudan is among Dalian’s assistant coaches.
