The 17th round of the Central League is highly scrutinized, especially by Nanjing City. On the one hand, this team is at a critical moment in their title race. In their last away game, they suffered a 3-goal loss to Heilongjiang Bingcheng, which dropped them out of the top 3 and made their title race unfavorable. The difference between them and the Super League has reached 2 points, so this round of matches is a battle of redemption for them. If they lose again, they are likely to be overtaken by other teams. On the other hand, in order to strengthen their power, Nanjing City made lineup reinforcements in the summer transfer window. One of the most powerful new recruits is 30-year-old international Wu Xinghan from Taishan. Wu Xinghan missed the 2023 season in the Chinese Super League due to the fact that he joined a relegated team with the aim of finding his form.
Nanjing City head coach Cao Rui faced Dongguan Guanlian ranked 10th and sent all the starters to start the match, while Wu Xinghan, who had just joined the team, was also highly expected to enter the starting lineup. During the match, Dongguan Union was mainly anti-client. After a 15-minute test, the offensive rhythm suddenly accelerated. Some cities in Nanjing did not adapt, and the defense loophole was seized by the opponent. In the 20th minute, he was the first to lose the ball. Although Wu Xinghan also got the chance to score a goal with a full counterattack, Dongguan Union's defense was stable and the goalkeeper performed well. At the end of the half, Nanjing City still trailed 0-1.
Obviously, the home team was forced into a desperate situation and could easily fight again. Under the pressure of Nanjing's third line, Cao Rui replaced Yang He and strengthened the offense. Finally, he scored in the 62nd minute. Zhang Xinlin got an assist from Messi to equalize. Nanjing's city was gaining momentum. In the 72nd minute, Cao Rui's change was once again amazing. Yang He's pass led to a defensive error and the ball flew into the goal. Nanjing City completed the victory, finally beating Dongguan Guanlian 2-1. It did not fall behind. It continues to remain two points off the top of the table, returning to the top three at any time.
Looking back on this game, Wu Xinghan's performance was quite satisfactory, but he has not yet returned to his best form. More importantly, this match was also Wu Xinghan's debut in the 2023 season. Returning to the field, it is inevitable that there will be some discomfort. I believe that as he integrates into his new employer, his future performances will still be favored. After all, he is an international player.
Taishan hopes that Wu Xinghan will adjust his form through this loan and may continue to use him after he recovers his past form. Despite suffering a 4-month "ban" before, Taishan did not give up, and this time also gives Wu Xinghan a chance, the key lies in whether the player can seize it.
