Compared to Taishan's past opponents, the fighting power of Henan's foreign aid lineup is not to be underestimated. Not only do they have sufficient numbers to meet the scheduling requirements of the coaching team, but each of the foreigners has a wealth of experience in the Chinese Super League for many years. However, they are also plagued by injuries, with Ivo retiring in the middle of the last round and Karanga being sent off for a red card in the first leg of the quarterfinals. How to adjust the foreigners to the best condition is crucial to the direction of the game of "LUYUYUYU".
Shanghai Derby: Can Shenhua repeat their glory?
On the other side of the battlefield, it's a showdown between brothers! Shanghai Shenhua, after missing out on the relegation group of the Chinese Super League by a single point, were given a new lease of life in the F.A.C. Cup, and the last obstacle they faced was their city brothers, Shanghai Harbor. In their two league meetings, Shenhua failed to win with a draw and a loss. In the last six meetings between the two teams, Seaport won four and drew two, remaining undefeated.
But that doesn't mean Shenhua has no hope of advancing. This is the third time that the two teams have played the Shanghai derby in the AFC Cup. Prior to this, the victory in both conversations belonged to Shenhua. In the final of the 2017 AFC Cup season, the two teams drew 3:3 on aggregate, with Shenhua winning the title by virtue of their away goal advantage.
During the break, Seaport's lineup was severely damaged, with many international players and foreign aiders Muy and Lopez failing to participate in the F.A.C.A. Cup matches, and the core of the team, Oscar, coming back from injury only in the last round. As a result, Seaport's road to promotion has been quite bumpy, facing lower-level teams such as Xi'an Junwolf and Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic and only winning by one goal.
In the semi-final, the attacking power of the damaged Harbor met the defense-oriented Shenhua. The defense led by Feng Xiaoting and Shuniqi had left the foreign attackers of Changchun Yatai and Shenzhen helpless, and their presence was the key for Shenhua to regain their dignity in the AFC Cup.
"Shenhua is a difficult opponent to deal with, they have a lot of fight on the field and a lot of experience, compared to our younger squad and some missing personnel." Looking ahead, Seaport head coach Leko has foreseen a tough game. With an aggressive opponent, there are real questions as to whether they will be able to maintain their good form on both fields.
2021 AFC Cup Semi-Final Fixtures
[First Round]
November 2, 15:30: Shandong Taishan vs Henan Songshan Longmen (Dalian Football Youth Training Base)
November 3, 15:30: Shanghai Shenhua vs Shanghai Harbor (Dalian Sports Center Stadium)
[Next round]
November 6, 15:30: Henan Songshan Longmen vs Shandong Taishan (Dalian Sports Center Stadium)
November 7, 15:30: Shanghai Seaport vs Shanghai Shenhua (Dalian Sports Center Stadium)
Note: If both teams have the same total number of goals scored in the 180 minutes of the double-header, the winner will be decided by exchanging penalty kicks.
