On February 20, Shandong Taishan defeated Kawasaki Frontale 4-2 in the second round of the AFC Champions League round of 16 to advance 6-5 on aggregate. After the match, many domestic media people expressed their opinions.
Former international player and commentator Li Yi:Thanks to Shandong Taishan for bringing a touch of warmth to Chinese soccer in the cold winter! I've always said that Shandong Taishan wants to build a 100-year club, with a vision not only for the domestic league, but more importantly, to be proud to represent China on the Asian stage. You did it today, build on it in the next game! Come on.
Media Personality Li Xuan:Many people had no expectations for this match before the game, especially when Kawasaki took the Super Cup with a substitute lineup. The game itself had a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns, but the Taishan players persevered until the end. It has to be said that the new foreigners haven't found their rhythm yet, but Kressan and Jadson are too good to play with, and the domestic players showed the hardness they deserve. It was an up and down and exciting game. At the moment of the kill, I screamed and cheered and shed tears without realizing it. How long has it been since Chinese soccer had such an exciting game?
Reporter Ma Dexing:Shandong Taishan's victory has undoubtedly injected a shot in the arm and boosted the morale of the entire Chinese soccer team as it enters the Year of the Dragon, after its unprecedentedly poor performance in the Asian Cup has plunged the country into the doldrums once again!
Reporter Zhao Yu:Some fans said they expect Shandong Taishan to meet Riyadh Victory in the AFC Champions League "so they can watch Crowe on the spot". I know this is a joke. Looking at the AFC Champions League system, East and West Asian teams have to wait until the final. Of course, it's not completely impossible in theory. It would naturally be good if we could actually meet. At that time, we saw the real Riyadh Victory and Cairo. The AFC Champions League final is nothing like a commercial match.
Media person Ji Yuyang:Shandong Taishan's four goals, Kressan's shot from outside the penalty area was a highlight of his personal ability, and Jadason's final hook shot belonged to the stroke of genius. I'd like to say a few more words about Taishan's second goal. Does it look a bit familiar to you? Did an opponent's corner turn into a goal of our own?A goal scored by Belgium against Japan at the 2018 World Cup in Russia was a counterattack by Belgium after a corner kick from Japan. Possession on the road for Taishan today has been low, as low as 23% at one point, and only 34% for the final crowd. However, this low possession rate was probably a proactive choice for Taishan, and sometimes stronger teams choose to accept some chances.
Reporter Chen Hua:The performance of Shandong Taishan team today is really revitalizing. But this is the AFC Champions League after all, it's the club, it's the foreigners. With foreign aid, the Chinese team can still fight a battle in East Asia. Without foreign aid, look at the performance of the national soccer team in the Asian Cup to see the level and position. Especially in the 2024-2025 season, the AFC Cup completely liberalized the number of foreign aiders. To be honest, as long as you have the money to engage 11 good foreign aid, it's not impossible for Chinese Super League clubs to copy Evergrande to win the championship. The problem is that Chinese soccer is now out of money and local players are not picking up. First, there are no foreign aiders to rely on in the country.
Commentator Huang Jianxiang:Congratulations to Shandong Taishan. The AFC Champions League knockout round was 6-5 on aggregate, with a 4-2 comeback on the road to annihilate Japan's Kawasaki Frontale and advance to the next round! It was an exciting game! The significance of this victory is to show us that our players are not as bad as the national team in the Asian Cup! Today, Chinese soccer has no right to be presumptuous, but there is no need to be presumptuous either.
Media person Zhao Zhen: Taishan this reversal does boost ah! It shows that the coach and the team are mutual achievements, Shandong is indeed a team suitable for old Cui.
Reporter Zhang Qiang:Read to kill! A victory for a team with substance and strength! This is not a victory for Chinese soccer, not even for the Chinese Super League. Maybe Chinese soccer also needs to kill, but will such killing make those who shoulder the heavy responsibility of Chinese soccer more courageous and responsible?
