On the battlefield of the Chinese Super League.
Changchun Yatai (soccer team)
与
Shanghai harbor
The match was particularly tense, with both teams eager to come out on top in the fierce competition. 27 at the Yuan Shen Stadium in Pudong New Area, Yatai and Seaport met again, with Seaport winning comfortably by a final score of 3-0. The result was a surprise compared to the first phase of the league, in which Yatai won 1 and drew 1 without defeat.
Prior to the match, the Harbors had begun to plan internally for revenge. The two teams have met five times since 2021, with the previous four matches resulting in one win, two draws and one loss. However, in official matches, Yatai remains undefeated. Especially after the 1-2 defeat in Kunshan on August 3, the Harbour's squad has changed considerably: while Yan Junling, Li Ang and Stanley Wang are under investigation for national team matters and Lopes returned to Brazil for treatment of an injury, the early return of Muy has dramatically boosted the Harbour's midfield. Against Yatai, coach Leko did not hesitate to include Muy in the starting lineup, partnering Oscar and Paulinho, the first time the three have joined forces in a match.
Despite predominantly self-training for the past two months, Muay has shined in instructional matches since his return. "It doesn't look at all like a lack of systematic training for a long time." One player exclaimed. Muy's goal was even more beautiful, in the 17th minute, he got the ball in the center circle and then continuously got rid of two Yatai players, and scored with a powerful shot to the dead corner. In addition, his performance in midfield organization, running and control completely liberated Oscar. Paulinho wandered in the midfield and forward area, and the impact of the three foreigners in the midfield and forward area momentarily exhausted the Yatai defense. Especially Serginho came back from injury and partnered with U23 player Zhang Yufeng at the back, it was really difficult to resist the attacking frenzy of the Harbor team. Especially in the first 30 minutes of the game, it is difficult to organize a threatening attack, from the course of the game can be seen, in the face of "Muyi + Oscar + Paulinho" three guns combination, Yatai players more or less unprepared.
Lv Wenjun, who scored two goals in the second half, was not a striker in this match but played as the left wingback of the 343 formation. His goals fully reflected the tactical flexibility of the harbor's three lines. In particular, the winning goal in the 73rd minute, the midfielders through multiple footwork, taking advantage of the mistakes of Yatai's defense, Lv Wenjun plunged forward to form a one-touch shot to score. However, in the last 30 minutes of the game, both teams had massive substitutions, and the real main lineup of the game was concentrated in the first 60 minutes. But many of those present had a feeling that the trio of Muy, Oscar and Paulinho really enhanced the harbor's midfield and forward strength. Especially in the front field pressure, good at defense and confrontation of the Yatai team also appeared to be a bit overwhelmed, such an arrangement for most of the Chinese Super League team, it is really daunting.
However, the Harbor team still has a number of injured players. In addition to Croatian center back Mystorovic, who has not yet recovered from his old injury and has little chance of catching the next stage of the Chinese Super League, veteran Yu Hai also failed to make an appearance in the teaching match on the 27th. As a result, the Harbor team, which plays a 343 formation, is slightly short of reserves at center back, which worries coach Leko. This time against Yatai, the team's three center backs were partnered by Wei Zhen, He Jiao and Fu Huan. Currently, the whole team is looking forward to Li Ang's return from the national team, and also hope that Yu Hai will be able to catch up with the restart of the Chinese Super League in mid-December.
