A 15-minute meltdown cost Three Towns a vital three points.

Reporter Lu Mi reports They scored right from the start, and Three Towns briefly saw hope. They managed to hold on through the first half, but unfortunately, a 15-minute collapse in the second half saw Port net three goals in a row, turning the game around. Although they fought back to pull one goal back, they ultimately fell short. The extreme contrast between the two halves makes it hard to believe this is a team fighting to stay up.

Only two points behind Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, who sit third from bottom, Three Towns have a chance to escape the relegation zone every matchday. Facing a Port side that was not in great form, Three Towns clearly had their sights set on all three points.

From the kickoff, Three Towns adopted a fight-for-survival mentality, giving their all at both ends. Their foreign attacking trio combined smoothly and posed a constant threat. Just three minutes in, they executed a slick move: Buss delivered a cross, and Cardoso met it with a glancing header to make it 1-0, putting Three Towns ahead at home.

After that, Three Towns kept up the pressure, with lively runs in the final third repeatedly tearing open Port's defense. Yan Junling made a series of saves to deny them multiple goals. On the defensive end, Three Towns also managed to withstand Port's counterattacks for a period. If the game had continued that way, the outcome might have been completely different.

Just when the Wuhan fans thought Three Towns would stabilize the situation and secure a crucial relegation point, the second half took a dramatic turn. The team lost all composure, as if they had lost their spirit. Not only did their rhythm fall apart, but their concentration also dropped sharply, leaving gaping holes in defense. Starting from the 51st minute, Wei Zhen scored with a header, and Ampey added a brace, with Port netting three goals in just 15 minutes to complete the comeback.

After that, Port had another goal disallowed for offside; otherwise, Three Towns would have been completely overwhelmed. The situation turned desperate, and the team had their backs against the wall. Head coach Suarez made consecutive substitutions, bringing on Xiong Jizheng and Chen Zechao for Zhang Xiaobin and Ming Tian. In the 75th minute, Long Wei, who had just come on, provided an assist for new signing Lotay, reducing the deficit to one goal.

In the remaining time, Three Towns still had chances to equalize or even turn the game around. They pushed forward with all their players, constantly attacking Port's defense. However, Li Ang's bicycle kick was spectacular but ruled out for offside, and Three Towns missed a golden opportunity to level the score.

After the match, Suarez said that the team performed very well in the first half, creating many goal-scoring opportunities but unfortunately failing to convert them. About ten minutes into the second half, the team's concentration dropped significantly, leading to consecutive goals conceded. "Against an experienced and strong opponent like Port, a momentary lapse is enough for them to exploit gaps and score. We were punished for that. However, throughout the game, the players kept fighting. We scored a second goal and then had another one disallowed for offside, which was very unfortunate." He believed that Three Towns should have earned at least one point. "All I can say is that football is full of regrets."

The media were puzzled by the three goals conceded in 15 minutes of the second half and kept pressing Suarez for an explanation. At the press conference, even Suarez himself could not hide his frustration or disappointment, and there was even some suspicion—this defeat felt absurd. Such defensive form, the stark contrast between the two halves, and the extreme inconsistency in performance made it hard to believe that this is a team fighting for survival in a desperate situation.