In the 24th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL), Shanghai Seaport beat Qingdao Hainiu 5-0 at home on the evening of July 21st, Beijing time. After the match, Seaport head coach Muscat attended the press conference and gave a comprehensive review of the match and talked about the performances of Gustavo, Fu Huan and new recruit William Pope.
Muscat first commented on the game: "The spirit and mentality shown by everyone today was very good. Although we encountered some difficulties in the first half on the offensive side, the opponent's defense was very well organized, but we had effective communication during the halftime break, and I encouraged the whole team to be more bold and risky forward, to dare to go up without the ball, to pass forward as much as possible with the ball, and to be active in running forward. Facing such a team with a very good low-level defense, the first goal was very important, it broke the deadlock, and then the situation gradually opened up. After taking the lead, everyone's mentality was kept at a high intensity pace, so I'm very happy with everyone's performance today."
Speaking about Gustavo, Muscat said, "We value Gustavo's contribution and effort to the team more than the number of goals scored. He is a constant threat to the opponent's defense from his position, which is very valuable. At the same time, he also showed excellent ability in the offensive end, today he scored three goals and created a lot of chances. As he gives more to the team as a whole, the more the team gives him in return, which is a very healthy combination."
Muscat spoke highly of Fu Huan's performance in his first full game: "Fu Huan is a very good example for the team. When he was not in the starting lineup before, he was very patient and kept training waiting for his chance to come. When he didn't have a chance to play, he trained very hard. So when the opportunity came, he was able to perform at a high level, which is very rare. I am personally very happy and satisfied with him."
Finally, Muscat spoke about new signing William Pope: "The club has done a lot of support and work on the new signings, and the arrival of William Pope is definitely a boost to the team. He trained a little bit this morning and met with his teammates, and he will start training with them tomorrow. I've been following Pope for three or four years now and I think he's a player who will fit right in with our family. His arrival will strengthen our play on the offensive end even more and bring new energy and help to our offensive end."
