In the fourth round of the Chinese Super League last night, Zhejiang suffered their first loss of the season with a 1-2 defeat against promotion rival Qingdao West Coast, ending their 18-game unbeaten streak across the season. The game not only showed the strength of Qingdao West Coast, but also exposed the problems of Zhejiang in both offense and defense.
From the course of the game, Zhejiang had a clear advantage in possession in the first half, but was lackluster on the offensive end. Facing Qingdao West Coast's tight defense, Zhejiang players failed to find an effective breakthrough. Qingdao West Coast, on the other hand, utilized accurate passes and sharp counterattacks to create threats for Zhejiang. Nelson Luce's goal in the first half fully demonstrated Qingdao West Coast's offense ability.
In the second half, Zhejiang tried to turn the situation around by adjusting their lineup and tactics, but Riascos' injury retirement put the team in a more passive situation. Although Owusu scored a goal to equalize the score, another goal by Nelsong Luz took away Zhejiang's chance to turn the game around. In addition, Qian Jie's handball foul in extra time added insult to injury, and although Alan's penalty kick was saved, Zhejiang was unable to recover from the defeat.
It is worth mentioning that Leonardo, the golden boot of last season's Chinese Super League, has had a disappointing season. He started all four matches but failed to score or assist, which undoubtedly had a considerable impact on Zhejiang's offense. Leonardo is good at goal-scoring and mucking out, but in the absence of teammates like Mu Xiekui to draw fire and do physical confrontation, his characteristics cannot be fully utilized. In addition, Frank's injury has also deprived Zhejiang of an important strong point on the offensive end.
Overall, Zhejiang team dominated the field in this game, but they were not mature enough in playing and handling the details in the key moments. Qingdao West Coast, on the other hand, showed the strength and fighting spirit of a promoted horse, and their teamwork and individual ability were impressive. This loss is definitely a wake-up call for Zhejiang, they need to seriously summarize the lessons learned from this game and adjust their tactics and staffing to cope with the next games.
In the next game, Zhejiang will need to adjust their tactics and staffing to strengthen the stability of the defensive end and the firepower of the offensive end. On the other hand, Qingdao West Coast will need to maintain their form and continue to play with their team's strengths in order to achieve better results in the Chinese Super League. I believe that as the game progresses, both teams will gradually show their own characteristics and strengths, and bring more exciting games to the fans.
