In a dramatic battle, Shandong Taishan defeated the slumping Tianjin Jinmen Tigers in a thrilling battle of five consecutive home matches, thanks to a deadly strike from veteran Zhang Qi, who, at the age of 36, once again exemplified the meaning of hard work and set a new record for the oldest goal scorer in the history of the Shandong Taishan team. Although his contract will come to an end at the end of this season, his outstanding performance may earn him a new contract extension. At the Shandong Taishan training base, we were pleasantly surprised to see Liu Binbin, free from injury and ready to return to action.
Under the astute guidance of Cui Kangxi, Shandong Taishan are firmly in second place in the table. If the players can avoid mistakes at the beginning of the season, Shandong Taishan is expected to compete with Shanghai Port for the Chinese Super League crown. The match against Tianjin Jinmen Tigers was undoubtedly an intense physical battle. Our opponents were distracted, eschewing technique, tactics and scoring, and only wanted to prevent us from scoring through unconventional means. A point is a win, and this negative mentality certainly had a negative impact on the team.
At 36 years old, Zhang Qi, a player who has suffered three serious injuries, is still not to be underestimated in the eyes of Choi Kang-hee. Even when his first goal was disallowed, it didn't stop him from scoring. The veteran on the pitch, even though it seems to the outside world that he should retire, always returns to the battlefield in a surprising manner, becoming more and more courageous as he gets older and becoming a role model for young players. Even when the manager didn't give him a chance, he never complained and trained hard because chances always come to those who are prepared. In the second half, Choi Kang-hee put him on the field and he will help his team to compete for the title this season. Despite the fact that his contract is about to expire and many are predicting his retirement, he is still in great form and Choi Kang-hee is favoring him and a contract extension may be just around the corner as fans hope to see the hero on the pitch again next season.
Under the coaching of Choi Kang-hee, Liu Binbin has made remarkable progress this season. Now, due to the shortage of manpower in the right wingback position, Cui Kangxi fixed Liu Binbin in the right wingback position, and his performance in this position is remarkable. He used his speed and skill to tear through the opponent's defense many times, and in the game of Beijing Guoan, he even directly destroyed the opponent's left side. Previously, due to injury, Liu Binbin missed the game with Tianjin, Xie Wen took his place, although the performance is good, but Liu Binbin's position is irreplaceable.
Now that Liu Binbin has recovered, he has returned to the team's training and traveled with the team to the game in Shenzhen. It is foreseeable that he will make an appearance in the game to inject new offensive energy into the team. Considering his recovery, Choi Kang-hee may put him on the field in the second half in pursuit of the title. After all, the AFC Cup match against Beijing Guoan is crucial.
