A cold drama in the Asian Champions League play-offs shocked the soccer world! China Super League leaders Port, despite having a strong squad of five internationals including Wu Lei, Yan Junling, Stanley Wang, Jiang Guangtai and Zhang Linlian, were defeated 2-3 in a thrilling match against Thailand's eighth-placed Pathum United in the Thai Premier League, not to mention the presence of top foreigners such as Oscar.
This unexpected result is undoubtedly a grim warning to Jankovic, the coach of the national soccer team! After all, the national soccer team will be in the same group with Thailand in the upcoming world qualifying tournament, and the port team is clearly a head and shoulders above the national soccer team, but unexpectedly lost, if Jankovic stubbornly insisted on using these international players, I am afraid that he will encounter unexpected setbacks!
The performance of three international players, Wu Lei, Yan Junling and Wang Shenchao, in the match between Port and Batang United was a disaster. Wu Lei, who is the best scorer in the Chinese Super League, was almost invisible in the match, a far cry from his league performance. Stanley Wang made a series of mistakes on the defensive end, scoring only 2 points after the game, and some fans even suggested that he should not be selected for the national team.
The goalkeeper of the national soccer team, Yan Junling, was not spared either, with a post-match rating of only 2 points. As the main goalkeeper of the national team, Yan Junling could not escape the blame for three missed tackles. The erratic performance at key moments has raised questions about his ability to keep goal under pressure.
It is worth mentioning that Wu Lei, Yan Junling and Wang Shenchao have all reached the age of 32. It is a fact that their form is declining, and once they leave the Premier League, they may suffer defeat even against Thailand.
The presence of these veterans certainly presents a dilemma for Jankovic. If they continue to be relied upon in November's world qualifiers, it will be unclear whether the national soccer team will be able to get out of the group stage and eliminate Thailand to advance to the next stage of World Cup qualifying.
Facing strong opponents like South Korea and Thailand, the national soccer team has no choice but to go all out for a win, or else it will bid an early farewell to the 2026 World Cup stage.
So, do you think the national soccer team will be able to beat Thailand and realize their dream of reaching the World Cup under the leadership of their veterans?
