As the sun set on February 20, Beijing time, the second round of the AFC Champions League 1/8 finals duel came to an end, Shandong Taishan reversed Kawasaki Frontale in the second stage with a score of 4-2, advancing to a total score of 6-5, which not only enabled Taishan to advance to the last 8 of the AFC Champions League for the third time, but also equaled the team's best record in the history of the game.
In a thrilling match, Taishan's two foreigners, Cressan and Jadson, made it through, while homegrown midfielder Lee Won-yi, who is 30 years old, turned in an impressive performance in Choi Kang-hee's tactical system. Just eight minutes into the match, Lee made a breakaway in front of the goal and then skillfully carried the ball into the Kawasaki penalty area, creating an opportunity for Kressan to score.
As the game went into extra time, Li Yuanyi's play was still raw. In the third minute of extra time, his shot from the top of the penalty area was very threatening and almost helped Taishan seal the win. But former South Korean national goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong stepped up to defuse the crisis. Had it not been for Jung's heroic performance, Lee Won-yi might have been able to write a miracle for Taishan four minutes earlier.
The authoritative rating agency sofascore gave Li Yuanyi a 7.6 rating after the match, second only to Cressan and Jadson. Many netizens have praised Li Yuanyi as "China's Modric" and "China's strongest midfielder", and questioned: "Why can't such a level be selected for the Asian Cup?"
Up to now, Li Yuanyi has played 36 games for Taishan, making 29 starts and contributing 3 goals and 7 assists, figures that stand out among midfielders. Unfortunately, he has never been selected for the national team.
Looking back at the previous Asian Cup, Lee Won-yi, who had been highly touted, failed to be selected for the national team. The weakness of the national team's midfielders was also a key factor in the Asian Cup group stage loss. Imagine if Sample Kovic had recruited Li Yuanyi, his tireless running might have helped the Chinese men's soccer team avoid leaving the worst record in the history of the Asian Cup.
