Zhang Yuning didn't celebrate after scoring and immediately went to the midfield to get the ball ready for the kickoff. This detail shows the great importance that Guoan attaches to this game. Unfortunately, Zhang Yuning's goal came too late. In the end, after 90 minutes of fierce fighting, Shenhua beat Guoan 2-1 and advanced to the quarterfinals. It is worth mentioning that Shenhua's opponent in the semifinals of the AFC Cup is still the same city rival SIPG. This season, Shenhua has already met with Shanghai Hong Kong three times, including the Super Cup and the Chinese Super League. In the Super Cup, Shenhua gave SIPG a lesson and managed to win the title.
In the two matches in the Chinese Super League, Shenhua had a great performance against Shanghai Hong Kong with a win and a draw. As a result, Shenhua will not be afraid to face the powerful SIPG in the semifinals of the F.A.C. Cup. On the other hand, SIPG is eager for revenge, hoping to beat Shenhua and try to advance to the final of the F.A.C. Cup. This season, under the command of new manager Muscat, SIPG is aiming to achieve good results in both the Chinese Super League and the AFC Cup. As we all know, SIPG has yet to win the AFC Cup, which is a big regret in the hearts of the veterans led by Wu Lei. Wu Lei hopes to lead the Hong Kong team to the final of the AFC Cup with a victory over Shenhua, realizing their dream of winning the cup for a long time.
