It is worth mentioning that Shandong Taishan's goalkeeper Wang Dalei and midfielder Li Yuanyi were particularly eye-catching in this match. If it wasn't for Wang Dalei's courage and decisive strikes to block the opponent's fatal shots, Shandong Taishan would have faced more than just two goals from their opponents. In other words, the possibility of Wang Dalei replacing Yan Junling as the national team's chief goalkeeper is not far-fetched.
The national team's top priority is to improve the efficiency of their offense, and despite struggling to pick up two points in the group stage of the Asian Cup, their goalless record exposes the team's shortcomings in the forward line. Especially with powerful strikers like Fernando, their impact is the key to tearing through opponents' defenses.
In the face of this tournament, the national team's new coaching team may take a second look at Shandong Taishan's player selection strategy after watching the game. After all, in the AFC Champions League against top opponents, the intensity of the confrontation is far more than the Chinese Super League, which puts a higher demand on the team. Facing Asian opponents in the World Cup qualifiers, Shandong Taishan may be expected to become an internationally competitive team.
