Beijing Guoan hosted Cangzhou Lions in the 9th round of the Chinese Super League on May 23rd at 19:35 Beijing time. The two teams were very different from each other in terms of strength, but there was not much difference in the two teams' status. Beijing Guoan, due to constant injuries and illnesses, had a strong lineup but couldn't play their best, and in the first 8 rounds of matches only achieved 2 wins, 5 draws, and 1 loss, and temporarily ranked 7th in the Chinese Super League; Cangzhou Lions had a record of 1 win, 4 draws, and 3 losses, and are currently ranked 13th in the Chinese Super League.
Guoan's biggest problem this season has been the front line. Zhang Yuning, the local golden boot scorer in the Chinese Super League, has been injured multiple times, leaving Guoan with no one up front to lead the way. Adebenelo, Wang Ziming, Yang Liyu and Fang Hao do not have the impact and scoring ability of Zhang Yuning. Zhang Yuning's absence led to an imbalance in the entire lineup. Coach Stanley Menzo also has some responsibility. The 59-year-old coach is limited in his ability to deploy the front, center and back lines of the national security lineup.
In this round of matches against Cangzhou Lions, Guoan's disability is even more disabled. Zhang Yuning, the current Golden Boot scorer, and the three main players, Wang Gang, De Souza and Li Ke, were all absent due to injuries. Before the match, Beijing media "Daily Sports" column revealed that Li Ke, Zhang Yuning, Wang Gang is still in the recovery stage, De Sousa also missed the pre-match training, indicating that the four missed the round of matches, but Feng Boxuan and Park Cheng restored health, the two can play.
With injuries spreading, Beijing Guoan has opted to promote younger players. The media pointed out that Yan Yu, who won the MVP of the U21 league last season, appeared in Guoan's first team. 20-year-old Yan Yu served as a defender in the pre-match training, which means that he will be in the match list. The problem with Guoan's lineup is very obvious, the front line is well stocked, just a star-studded group that lacks an efficient scorer like Zhang Yuning.
The reason for the promotion of young defenders is because the fullback setup is thin. Wang Gang was injured, leaving only five regular defenders in Ngaardew, Li Lei, Bo Yang, Feng Bo Xuan and Zhang Chendong. Yu Dabao had to do his usual business of playing up front with a weak forward line. Stanley head coach Stanley and Yang Liyu attended the pre-match press conference. Stanley thinks the match with Cangzhou Lions will be very tough. The opponent's defense system is very good and the offense has three quick counterattack points. However, considering the home game, the tactical system will change, striving for possession, publicizing chances while controlling the ball, and paying attention to counter-attacks.
Unsurprisingly, Guiao's starting lineup against Cangzhou Lions will be fine-tuned. Four foreigners in Adebunro, Ademi, Kang Xiangyu and Ngadeu will start. The frontline will have Prince Ming as the single arrow. Yang Liyu, Ademi, Zhang Xunzhe, Adebenelo and Jiang Xiangyou will team up with the midfield line, Li Lei, Bo Yang, Ngadeu and Zhang Chengdong, and goalkeeper Han Jiaqi. Yan Yu, Feng Boxuan, Fang Hao, Gao Tianyi, Nai Bi Jiang - Muohebuaiti, Yu Dabao and others are expected to play as substitutes. In terms of lineup strength, Guoan is still more powerful than Cangzhou Lions. If the forward line can improve in grasping chances, Guoan will have a chance to take three points.
