However, it was an improvement on the 1-0 and 4-0 defeats in Peng’s first two matches since relocating from Chengdu, in China’s southwest, to Shenzhen, the southern city bordering Hong Kong.

Tato acknowledged that time was needed to adjust in the club’s first taste of the top flight, having topped League One under their old name, Sichuan Jiuniu.

“As a new team in the Chinese Super League, it’s never going to be easy in the first season,” Tato said.

“We need to do our part, prepare for and play well in each and every match. We need to be down to earth, and seek improvements gradually.

“We must believe in ourselves and not lose confidence. I believe our victory will come soon.”

On Chinese social media, some fans in the club’s new home province of Guangdong urged co-owners City Football Group to invest in better players. Several were quick to suggest dispensing with their Spanish boss.

“I think [goalkeeper] Peng Peng and [defender] Zhang Wei did really well, but I’ll skip the other players,” one fan posted.

“This team is getting better, but substitutions and the experience in the last few minutes are really not good. Keep up the good work!”

“Our defensive line was visibly tired in the final 10 minutes – that is when we should make substitutions,” another said. “Let’s also change our head coach, his tactics are way too conservative.”

“The coach is definitely weak, his tactics were too rigid,” one comment read. “He should use substitutions to stall some time. That shows his inexperience.”

They were not alone in lamenting a failure to wind down the clock.

“Had there not be a corner, I think the match would be over,” a local fan said. “Let’s just take this as part of the learning. The City Football Group should fork out and buy a few good players.”

“Leading by a goal with only one minute to go, and the players did not try to waste time,” a user in Beijing said. “What were they thinking?”