Tianjin has secured safe relegation from the Chinese Super League (CSL) after finishing second in their domestic league.
The city's team, Tianjin Shandong, have been one of the favorites to win the CSL title this season, and they were well on track for a top-four finish before a late surge from Shanghai Shenhua saw them finish second behind Jiangsu Suning.
However, with only two matches left to play, Tianjin faced a difficult decision: either risk losing the title and potentially losing their spot in the top four, or risk losing it all together and facing relegation.
Despite the odds against them, Tianjin decided to stay strong and fight for every last point. They played out a thrilling match against Jiangsu Suning at home, where they scored three goals in the first half but lost the game 1-2 on aggregate.
With just two games left, Tianjin was confident that they could secure a safe relegation from the CSL. However, their chances of doing so were cut short when they suffered a 4-0 defeat to Guangzhou Evergrande at home.
In the end, Tianjin had to face the tough task of winning their remaining two matches to qualify for the playoffs. The team showed great resilience and determination, and they managed to score three more goals in the final minutes of the match to secure a 5-0 victory over Guangzhou Evergrande.
Overall, Tianjin Shandong have done well by themselves and will be looking forward to seeing how they fare in the playoff rounds. It remains to be seen whether they can secure their place in the top four and potentially even win the CSL title.