Shandong Taishan hosted the powerful Yokohama Mariners in the third round of the East Asian Champions League in what was undoubtedly a painful matchup in the AFC Champions League. Shandong Taishan have lost to Yokohama Mariners in their last four meetings. Therefore, this match is not only a defense of the dignity of the Chinese Super League, but also a bitter revenge battle for Shandong Taishan.
Shandong Taishan grabbed the lead in the opening match, and in the 43rd minute of the first half, Zeca sent a precise assist to Kressan, who scored an unstoppable header to give Shandong Taishan a 1:0 lead. In the second half, Yokohama Mariners quickly adjusted their strategy, and Anderson Lopez and Jan Matthäus scored back-to-back goals to make the score 1:2, and Shandong Taishan suffered a reversal. In the closing stages of the game, Luneng veteran Zheng Zheng scored a key goal, staging a comeback. In the end, after a fierce battle, both sides shook hands with 2:2.
Although this 2:2 draw highlights the resilience of Shandong Taishan, it also reveals regret. As the foreign aid Cressan said, if the team can focus on the key moments, may be able to win this victory. In other words, Shandong Taishan team still has a big hidden problem in the defense end.
When it comes to Shandong Taishan's defense, one figure has to be mentioned. He is Brazilian center back Marcel Scalesse, who joined Shandong Taishan in the summer transfer window at a "cabbage price". It is reported that Shandong Taishan spent only 50,000 euros to sign Marcel Scalese. However, in this game, Marcel Scalese's performance was a disaster, becoming the team's backline "water goods".
Marcel Scalesse made his debut in this matchup, partnering with veteran Zheng Zheng to form the team's double center back. Compared to Zheng Zheng, who is good at both offense and defense, Marcel Scalesse's performance was a mess. As a center back, Marcel Scalesse was not able to anticipate jams, interceptions and steals. What's more, he moved slowly and was always a step behind. Under the onslaught of Japanese players, he was repeatedly eaten alive and even penetrated by opposing players.
Looking back at the two goals conceded by Shandong Taishan, both of them were related to Marcel Scalesse. Especially in the first goal conceded, Marcel Scalese was not only slow to get stuck in, but also had serious problems that led to Lopez's easy header after a penalty kick.
After the game, Marcel Scalese got the lowest score of the team. Many Chinese fans, after watching his performance, said, "It's a really cheap price to pay, but you didn't get a good deal."
