Winning the Super Cup after 22 years, while celebrating, Guoan also aims to stay grounded and maintain a low profile.

Special contribution/Song Ci On March 1st, at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center, the 2026 Chinese Football Association Super Cup final concluded. Beijing Guoan defeated Shanghai Port 2-0 to win the championship, with goals from Da Wan's spectacular long-range effort and Cao Yongjing's late clincher. This victory ended Guoan's 22-year wait for a Super Cup title, their third in history. It was also the first match under new coach Montgomery, who led the team to glory in his debut. This game showcased Guoan's revamped squad and tactical overhaul. The Super Cup triumph provides an excellent start to Guoan's new Chinese Super League season. However, amidst the joy of the team and fans, the club remains cautious, explicitly stating that overconfidence must be avoided and a steady, step-by-step approach is essential.

In this match, Guoan's new winter signings made their collective debut and delivered a solid performance. French winger Nkolo was the most impressive among the three foreign signings, excelling in dribbling and passing on the flank, completing 3 successful dribbles out of 6 attempts. Guoan's first-half opening goal originated from his timely pass to Serginho before being closed down, who then assisted Da Wan. The second-half goal was also assisted by Nkolo, with substitute Cao Yongjing calmly slotting home to seal the victory. Nkolo's arrival has truly revitalized Guoan's wing attacks.

Portuguese center-back Ramos received a yellow card in the first half due to nerves but quickly adjusted in the second, providing comprehensive coverage in both aerial and ground defense, proving to be a cost-effective signing. Substitute Conte, despite only playing around 30 minutes, demonstrated strong midfield organizational skills. Domestic signings Ru Zinan and Abduhamit started, while Jia Feifan replaced Li Lei in the second half. All three defensive players displayed robust tackling and coordinated defending, integrating swiftly into the team's system.

Compared to the newcomers, the veteran players remained reliable. Da Wan, besides scoring the opening goal, excelled in ball control, evasion, and playmaking, orchestrating the offensive rhythm single-handedly. Serginho was active in movement, delivering 3 key passes, and shouldered the crucial link-up role in midfield. Strikers Fabio and Zhang Yuning acted as target men, continuously stretching Port's defense and creating space for teammates. Substitute Cao Yongjing lived up to expectations by scoring. The appearances of substitutes Zhang Xizhe and Wang Gang further demonstrated the value of experienced players. Despite Port's relentless efforts to equalize, hitting the post once, Guoan's defense, led by Hou Sen and his teammates, repeatedly thwarted dangers. The entire team performed their roles diligently, with the blend of old and new players showing strong cohesion and combat effectiveness.

This was new coach Montgomery's official debut with Guoan, and his tactical overhaul proved successful with a comprehensive victory. Before the match, Montgomery moved away from Guoan's previous possession-based style, implementing a high-press and quick-transition 4-4-2 system. The intensive winter training focused on fitness and pressing efficiency, translating into a high-tempo transition game. Throughout the match, Guoan displayed energetic running and well-structured pressing, effectively stifling Port's midfield organization.

Montgomery did not deploy all his key players from the start, keeping Conte on the bench as a strategic reserve. His in-game management also showcased strong adaptability. After Li Lei's injury, he promptly substituted Wang Gang and Jia Feifan to stabilize the flank defense. When the game was deadlocked, he decisively brought on Zhang Xizhe to control the tempo, and introduced Cao Yongjing late to reinforce the counter-attack. Each substitution was highly targeted.

After the match, the new coach dedicated the victory to the team: "It wouldn't be fair to single out any individual player. Every starter and substitute fought until the end; this victory belongs to the entire team. I respect Port's performance; it was an intense contest. The integration of new signings owes much to the help of the senior players. We fought like a family, which is our most valuable asset."

Goal-scorer Cao Yongjing credited the victory to the hard work during winter training: "The past two months of training have been grueling for everyone. We've all lost weight and gotten tanner. This win is the reward for all that effort. We executed the coach's tactics strictly, and I'm thrilled to have secured the victory for the team. This is just the first match of the season; I hope we can maintain this form and bring more wins to our fans."

Veteran captain Zhang Xizhe, though not starting, continuously encouraged his teammates from the sidelines. As captain, he lifted the championship trophy on behalf of the team, stating that the title resulted from the collective effort and vowing to lead the team toward even higher goals.

This Super Cup title holds extraordinary significance for Guoan. Competitively, it marks the team's first Super Cup win in 22 years, equaling the club's historical record with a third title, building precious confidence for the new season. Tactically, the new system passed a stern test against a top opponent, proving the effectiveness of Montgomery's approach, with high pressing and quick transitions becoming Guoan's new hallmark. In terms of squad, new signings integrated rapidly while veterans performed consistently, completing a generational shift with a more balanced roster capable of competing on multiple fronts.

For the fans, this new-look Guoan has ignited fresh hope with such a victory, leading many loyal supporters to renew their season tickets from last year.

While most are immersed in the joy of victory, Guoan's club management remains calm and clear-headed. The club explicitly stated that the Super Cup win is merely one match; the full league season is long and unpredictable. The team must not become overconfident or overestimate itself based on a single victory. For the new season, the team must remain steady and progress step by step, earnestly learning from the experiences and lessons of the past year, treating each league round and every match as a new beginning, and advancing with solid, grounded steps.