On the evening of April 16, the first round of the Chinese Super League 2023 season ushered in the focus of the battle. Shanghai Shenhua got off to a good start by beating Shandong Taishan 1-0 at home. The much-anticipated Shandong Taishan lost the first round of the Gift Cup, the Super Cup and the league in quick succession. It was a great game, with Shanghai Shenhua's signings doing their job and Shandong Taishan playing in their own style. The crowd at the Shanghai Stadium also announced that the most awaited Chinese Super League is really back.
The whole game was fast paced and full of excitement.
Both teams in this match were veteran powerhouses of domestic soccer. The only goal of the whole match happened in the 40th minute of the first half. Wu Xi crossed the ball from the left side, and the player in the penalty area did not touch the ball. As a result, the ball bounced off the ground and fell into the goal, Han Rongze was unable to save the ball and the score was changed. It was a fortuitous goal, but behind it was Shanghai Shenhua's relentless offense. Prior to this, they had created many threats, and Wu Xi was able to complete the goal by passing the ball from his feet, which was a reflection of the veteran's excellent footwork.
Of course, compared to the passive beating in the Super Cup a few days ago, Shandong Taishan's spirit in this game was still very good, but the efficiency of the offense really needs to be improved. In the eighth minute, Liu Yang was accurately spotted in the penalty area after Taishan's cross from the right side of the road, and the latter's header attacked with a strong momentum down. Unfortunately, Shenhua's goalkeeper Ma Zhen bravely settled the game. Ma Zhen's debut was actually a bit unexpected, as Shenhua had previously introduced Bao Yaxiong, who performed well last season.
However, Ma Zhen was definitely the hero of Shenhua's win. In the last minute of the game, Shandong Taishan's naturalized player Fernando threatened Shenhua's goal with a free kick and a long-distance shot, but Ma Zhen's save was very timely. As for Shenhua, although the second half was mainly a counter-attack, it was very efficient. Both substitute Cao Jie and front-rower Malelai posed a big threat to Taishan with their speed. The fast pace of this game was also a big reason for the great spectacle.
Shenhua's new reinforcements are effective, and Moto is a Tarzan change of pace.
The off-season has seen a number of signings for both teams, and the league debut was an opportunity for them to make an appearance. The signings for hosts Shenhua can be considered quite good, especially João Teixeira, a midfielder from Portugal, who is technically well-rounded, succeeding twice and causing four fouls on Taishan throughout the game. He sorted out the team's attack and was totally trustworthy. The other midfielder, wide man Amadou, showed excellent tackling ability as a full back. He contributed two interceptions and four clearances, a bulwark in the team's midfield. As a player who is still playing Ligue 1 this season, Amadou played a possible game in the Super League.
With the long-term group in charge, Shenhua have enough money, but unlike the Shanghai men's basketball team, they are focusing on value for money with their foreigner imports. Teixeira joined the Qatari league while Amadou was waived and Malalele moved from a West Asian side. While Malalei's debut was met with some skepticism, he also played a big role. Judging by the first game, Shenhua's signings have worked out very well.
Taishan made adjustments mainly at inside backer. International player Sun Guowen made his debut and made three interceptions on defense. He was also active in the offense with a high success rate in passing. The other newcomer Tong Lei didn't have much chance to excel as a substitute, but Li Yuanyi and Hu Jinghang had to wait for his debut.
Naturalized player Fernando gets the most attention. After two years of not participating in official matches, Fernando's speed drop is really obvious. Some media taunted:Â "The little motorcycle has turned into a battery car." However, Fernando's debut did bring some changes to Taishan's offense, especially in the last minute, which was almost the only reliable offense of the team in the second half. With the likelihood of Wu Xinghan and Jin Jingdao missing the season high, the addition of Fernando will at least keep Taishan from being left with no one on the sidelines. It is still something to look forward to when he is back in place.
A full return to the league and a new season or chaos.
This season, the CFL is fully back in 2019, which is fun for fans, but also puts pressure on teams. Traveling and discomfort at home and on the road could lead to more cold streaks. In the first round, the top three teams from last season, Wuhan Sanzhen, Shandong Taishan, and Zhejiang, all lost, which creates more suspense in the league this season.
Happily, the excitement level of the league has picked up, with each team playing with a relatively full squad. Shenhua and Taishan teamed up to play a great game, a clear departure from last season's "four foreign aiders and all Chinese teams". Lokadia's debut goal, Tang Miao and Adrian's world goals, and 16-year-old Shahzati's first career goal were all highlights to watch in the first round of the 2023 Chinese Super League. The narrowing of the power gap between teams means the league will be far more competitive and exciting.
Of course, the most important thing is the return of the fans. Shanghai, Wuhan, Zhengzhou and Beijing, from south to north, each home ground was flooded with large numbers of enthusiastic fans, making their first appearance. Three seasons of empty matches had left the Chinese Super League almost cut off from its fans. Now, the joy that once was is back.
So, what kind of ending will this season's Chinese Super League finally have? It's still too early to draw conclusions at the beginning of the season, but it's undeniable that the excitement of this season's Chinese Super League will certainly reach its peak in recent years.
