广州豹争夺中甲席位，分区赛表现一马当先

"Pleased as punch, the Guangzhou Leopards have roared through the preliminary round of the 2024 China League Two with an impressive performance," exclaimed Peter Drury-style. After four months of intense battles, the Leopards secured their place in the promotion group with a record-breaking 16 wins, 2 losses, and 48 points in the South Zone. They advanced with a resounding 8-1 victory over Quanzhou Yaxin on July 27th. The team scored 40 goals and conceded only 10, leading the league in terms of victories, clean sheets (9), and goal difference (30), boasting their dominance among the 20 teams.

To address the shortcomings of the previous season and the uncertainties of the 2023 season, the Leopards made multiple personnel choices in their recruitment, identifying candidates for each position. With the final selection of the squad for this season's China League Two, the team reorganized its tactics and season goals, resulting in almost a complete overhaul of the starting eleven.

As a newly established club in March 2023, the Leopards have grown not only on the field but also in terms of event operations. The professional league demands higher standards in every aspect compared to the Chinese National Championship. By actively learning and researching the event operations of other clubs, the Leopards successfully managed the operations of their first nine home games.

Apart from continuous improvement in competitiveness and event operations, the Guangzhou Leopards have their own ways of team building. On July 11th, the club announced contract extensions for two injured players, Huang Jiaqiang and Liu Ziheng, acknowledging their dedication on the field and emphasizing the club's humanistic management approach.

In the same month, former Chinese national team player Xiao Zhi, who joined the club in its inaugural year, was appointed as an assistant coach for the first team. This move not only recognizes Xiao Zhi's contributions to the club but also encourages players to wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to the club, knowing that they will have support and opportunities after retirement.

During the second transfer window this year, the Leopards strengthened their squad by signing former Olympic team player Zhang Hongjiang, overseas player Chen Kanglin, and experienced players like Shang Yin, Cui Wei, and Ning An. Young players Shi Letian and Tong Tianran also joined the team, along with U17 academy players He Jiajun and Jiang Zhiqin who were promoted to the first team. These reinforcements have significantly enhanced the overall strength of the team.

Despite their significant advantage in the preliminary round, the Guangzhou Leopards will continue to adopt a steady and cautious approach in the promotion group matches. They will remain focused, step by step, giving their all to achieve the goal of promotion.