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Beijing return to the top after two-season break
Posted by: Newswire, 2025-03-29, 69 Views
One of the biggest shocks of S61 was the winning title run in RoW by Tehran, with the club somehow keeping Chinese giant Beijing at bay and grabbing the title. It marked the second season in a row where Beijing didn’t win the division --- not something the club had been used to.
But this season, Beijing made a comeback, steamrolling through the division and eliminating any chance of a potential title race. The club won the division with an 8pt gap against the runner-up. It also grabbed the Regional Cup for the double.
Newly arrived striker Ziedler, an off season transfer from New York, led the club’s goalscoring --- with 19 league goals, the most in D1.
It’s difficult to see who can stop Beijing next season. Perennial past contenders Sydney and Ankara are no longer big rivals. Sydney rebuilt and slid down the divisions. Ankara’s long-time manager Diane left the club this season. Age is perhaps Beijing’s only major problem --- most of the club’s leading players are aged 31+. But manager Ivo has been adept at rebuilding and will unlikely let the club slip its standards by much.