On March 6, at 6:00 p.m. Beijing time, the first round of the AFC Champions League 1|4 final will be a match that will be of interest to Chinese fans. Shandong Luneng Taishan will host Japan's Yokohama Mariners.
Entering the two rounds of the AFC Champions League knockout rounds, basically every game is a battle to the death, especially for the Yokohama Mariners such as the overall fighting strength of the team, the home first to take advantage of the first opportunity is even more important. Because once the home did not win, Shandong Luneng in Japan away from home there is no chance to win.
Yokohama Mariners is an old rival of Shandong Luneng. Luneng has met Yokohama Marinos four times in the AFC Champions League, with a record of two wins and two losses, making it difficult to distinguish between them. However, in the past two matches, Luneng ended in defeat. Therefore, Shandong Luneng will have to be extra careful in the AFC Champions League 1|4 final.
It should be said that Shandong Luneng's recent form is quite good, with two consecutive victories in the AFC Champions League and Chinese Super League, beating Kawasaki Striker in 4 matches in the AFC Champions League:2, and winning the first match of the Chinese Super League in 4:winning Changchun Yatai has greatly boosted the team's morale. In addition, the three ace foreigners of Kressan, Kazaishvili and Jadason are all in their best form, and even the previously criticized waterboy Pato has made a miraculous return. With these four foreign aiders calming the scene, coach Choi Kang-hee can be said to have "food in hand, not panic in the heart".
However, in this matchup between Yokohama Mariners, the key man for Shandong Luneng to beat their foes is not the aforementioned four ace foreigners, but a local midfielder who is a late bloomer. He is Li Yuanyi, who does not have a high presence at Evergrande. As he grows older, Li Yuan's technical and tactical level is getting more and more mature. He is not only good at interceptions and steals, but also has strong ball control. His ability to move forward with the ball is the best among local players. After the departure of ace foreigner Moises, Cui Kangxi made Li Yuanyi the new midfield engine of Shandong Luneng in the absence of foreigners. In the first two consecutive victories, Li Yuanyi's organizational skills and improvisational creativity in the midfield were widely recognized by the outside world.
Data shows that in the first seven AFC Champions League matches, Li Yuanyi contributed one goal and one assist for Luneng, whose efficiency in front of the attack is comparable to that of foreign aid. Due to his outstanding performance in the AFC Champions League, Li Yuanyi was even praised by the official blog of the Asian Cup and strongly recommended to enter the Chinese national team. Therefore, it is inevitable that Lee Won-yi will be entrusted with a heavy responsibility by coach Choi Kang-hee. Because only if Li Yuanyi plays normally, Shandong Luneng's midfield control and attacking efficiency in front of the field can be guaranteed.
To summarize, the match between Shandong Luneng and Yokohama Marinos may not be decided by the four ace foreigners, but by the local midfielder who is a late bloomer. Let's wait and see.
