It's a hot night and thousands of fans have crowded into the Ronjiang football stadium for the final of the Rural Super League in Guizhou province.
Dongmen Village plays against Dangsijang Village in the finale of a hyper-wild, all-local tournament.
This small, week-long village football festival has become a viral sensation in China, as images of fans dressed in traditional folk costumes, banging drums and cheering on players who in private life may be farmers, schoolchildren or salespeople, spread across social media.
The footage has inspired tens of thousands of people from all over the country to experience it all firsthand on weekends.
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Watching games in the village league is free, but it's quite an effort to get there, a three-hour drive in the mountains from the provincial capital of Guejang.
Millions of Chinese have crossed that road in the past 12 months to soak up the atmosphere, along the way increasing revenues for the tourism industry by nearly 75 percent, according to official state media figures.
Available accommodation is only small hotels which are often full to the brim when big matches are played.
It is the ultimate story about the unexpected success of those who were never favorites.
This is an area that was one of the last parts of China to be officially declared free of "extreme poverty".
Five years ago, her average annual disposable income was just $1.350 in rural areas.
Now this newly organized league - only in its second year - has gained so much fame that it has converted the entire environment.
The players still can't believe it.
"We are not professional players. We just love football," says Sheng Jeng.
"Even if there was no Village Super League, we would play every week. Without football, I would feel like life has lost all its charm."
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Shen is a 32-year-old hospital maintenance worker who just got off the night shift, but here, on the field, he is one of Dongmen Village's biggest offensive weapons.
He says his parents hated him playing football when he was a kid, but now they're completely converted.
"They didn't let me play. They threw my sneakers. But now they set up a stand at the stadium gate and sell ice cream," he laughs.
Shen's parents aren't the only small business owners who have benefited from the economic boost the tournament has brought to the area.
Not everyone suddenly became rich, but this sports carnival definitely brought earning opportunities to those who run small family hotels, restaurants and street stalls.
Dong Jongheng, a player whose Zhongcheng Village was in the finals last year, is one of those who benefited greatly from the tournament beyond his on-court experience.
The former construction worker turned the attention football brought him into family business success.
The 35-year-old used to work in his aunt's humble shop preparing rice rolls, a famous street snack in Rongjiang.
Now he has opened his own multi-story restaurant.
There is even a shop next to it that sells his football club jerseys and other souvenirs.
"I think people like the authenticity of the country league," he tells the BBC.
"It's really not about sportsmanship. They love to watch a spontaneous performance, whether it's our cheerleading folk singers or our players. Tourists like real and original things."
The government says 4.000 new businesses have been registered in the region since the tournament began last year, creating thousands of new jobs in the poor farming community.
The fact that some fans dress up in traditional folk costumes to support their village team definitely gave this tournament a unique touch.
In the hours leading up to the finals, the silver ornament covering Pan Wenge's head jingles as she speaks enthusiastically, preparing to cheer for Dongmen Village.
"While we're watching the game, it's very exciting. We are really nervous, you can feel your heart pounding. And when we win, we are very happy. We sing and dance."
But standing in Dongmen's way is the younger, faster village team Dengsijang.
Their star striker Lu Jinfu, the son of seasonal workers, has just graduated from high school.
With a shy smile, he accepts the attention of local children who want to take selfies with him.
"When I started playing, I didn't expect it to be like this. I didn't expect that we would have such a fantastic football atmosphere," he says.
On a fateful night, his team is really too good for Dongmen.
Lu scores two goals, and after the referee blows the whistle, the winning team splashes juice among themselves in celebration.
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But even the losers don't go home empty-handed.
"We won two pigs. That's not bad either," says Sheng Jeng with a mischievous smile on his face.
At their party after all, you'd never say they won second place.
There is a lot of eating and drinking during the outdoor banquet on the main street of Dongmen Village.
Neighbors, whom they call "aunties", hug them and shower them with kisses.
Whether they win, draw or lose, they will still be seen as heroes.
And, after all, there's always next year.
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