Zigong wins 3–1 in Sichuan City Football League final stage opener

The Zigong Lantern City Shenlong Team secured a strong start in the final stage of the Sichuan City Football League 2025/2026 season, defeating the Yibin Yangtze River Shoucheng Team 3–1 in their opening match on Mar. 14.

The match, held at the Zigong Nanhu Sports Center, drew enthusiastic crowds. Just before kickoff, nearly a thousand students from several local schools presented a vibrant cultural performance, featuring elements of Zigong's distinctive local traditions.

From the start of the game, the Zigong side launched multiple attacks. Each attempt enabled several early shots, but these were saved by the opposition goalkeeper.

The breakthrough came at the 22nd minutes, when a well placed header from a Zigong player led to the first goal.

Zigong doubled their lead at the 39th minute with another successful strike, bringing the score to 2–0 before halftime.

In the second half, Yibin mounted a determined comeback. In the 65th minute, they capitalized on a defensive clearance error by Zigong. They scored from close range, narrowing the gap to 2–1. 

As the competition rose, Zigong quickly regained control, and in the 72nd minute another header sealed the victory, setting the final score at 3–1.

The win marked an encouraging victory for the Zigong team as the final stage of the provincial league competition gets underway.