The waves of the AFC Champions League play-offs, the seaport team suffered an unbearable defeat, 2:3 against Thailand's Pathum United, Guoan veteran Sergei's hat-trick added to the dishonor of this loss, the Chinese Super League team for the first time by the Thai team eliminated the shameful record was born.
However, in the midst of this gloom, Zhejiang brought an unexpected surprise to the Chinese Super League team by defeating the Thai duo with Frank's long-distance shooting skills to break into the next round of the AFC Champions League.
The Chinese Super League's top three - Wuhan Sanzhen, Shandong Taishan and Zhejiang - gathered for the AFC Champions League, while the former top-four seaport became a paper tiger and an empty space.
The problems behind Harbour's defeat are thought-provoking. Thailand's Batang United's star players Zankor Rasin and Sergey's silent partnership made Harbour's defense look unbeatable. And Harbour's previous arrogant attitude was even more rewarded in the match.
The problems of the Harbour team are not only the problems of individual players or coaches, but also the epitome of the overall level of Chinese soccer. The effort level of the players, the tactical arrangement of the coaches, and even the decision-making of the Football Association have all become important factors in this loss.
National team manager Jankovic may need to reconsider the chances of the Harbour players to play, as they do not seem to deserve to represent the national team. Seaport's defeat is not just a one match loss, but a sign that Chinese soccer is in dire need of reform.
The journey of the Chinese Super League team in the AFC Champions League is far from over. But the loss at the seaport has undoubtedly sounded the alarm for Chinese soccer: only by truly recognizing their own problems and taking action to solve them can they go farther in the international arena.
