Tonight, August 22nd, Beijing time, the flames of the 2023 AFC Champions League play-offs are about to ignite, with a total of five exciting matches waiting to be witnessed. This is a do-or-die battle for promotion and will undoubtedly determine which teams will be able to join the ranks of the AFC Champions League.
At 19:30, the two Chinese superpower will meet the challenge of the two armies of Thai super at home. However, it is regrettable that CCTV sports platforms, including CCTV5, are not planning to broadcast the play-off, and other video platforms are not planning to broadcast live on the web and cell phones, leaving only local platforms to take up the mantle.
Shanghai Port, the one-time employer of former Chinese Football Association (CFA) leader Chen Xuyuan, will face Pathum United of the Thai Premier League at the SAIC Pudong Football Stadium. The clash will be televised live on Shanghai's five-star sports channel. Shanghai Port, under the leadership of Javier Pereira, are regarded as the giants of the Chinese Super League, with the addition of Brazilian star Oscar to the foreign squad adding wings to the mix. The strength of players such as Vargas, Caron, Pinko and Joao should not be underestimated either. As for domestic players, Wu Lei, Yan Junling, Zhang Linpeng, Jiang Guangtai and Wang Shenchao are all current mainstays of the national soccer team, while Cai Huikang, Xu Xin, Li Shuai and Li Ang have also been selected for the Chinese men's national team. Despite being unbeaten in two rounds of the Chinese Super League, Shanghai Port are firmly at the top of the table with 53 points.
Shanghai Port are now 12 points adrift of Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua, and the Super League title is almost a foregone conclusion, allowing them to put more energy into their AFC Champions League campaign and strive for a breakthrough.
Pathum United ended the first two rounds of the Thai Premier League with draws, but the importance they place on the AFC Champions League is evident. The team has seven foreign players, led by Songkla Hin, who is known as Thailand's Lionel Messi. In this match, the star player of Thai soccer will play with Wu Lei, a famous player of national soccer team, which becomes a big attraction. Judging from the comparison of the two teams' past records and strengths, Shanghai Port has a certain advantage.
Meanwhile, Zhejiang will host Taikang. Although there are no TV stations broadcasting live, the club's DOU audio account will be broadcasting exclusively. This season, Zhejiang didn't have a good start, but then powered through, remaining undefeated in the last eight rounds of the Chinese Super League, and is currently in fifth place on the table. Domestic players such as Yao Junsheng, Zhang Jiaqi and Qian Jie are strong, and the two forward foreigners are also performing well. Brazilian striker Lennardo leads the Chinese Super League's top scorer list with 15 goals, while Zimbabwean star Mu Xiekui, who used to play for Dalian (now renamed Dalian Pro Soccer Music), is ranked third with 13 goals, and is finally getting a chance to play in the AFC Champions League. It's a game that the Zhejiang team will be sure to give their all to.
At the pre-match press conference, the Taikang coach was full of confidence. The two teams have no previous record of meeting, this is an encounter, the coach hopes that the Zhejiang team can get a good start at home.
In the 18:30 start, South Korea's K-League side Incheon United will host Vietnam's Haiphong, while Japan's J-League powerhouse Urawa Red Diamonds will host Hong Kong's Super League side Lee & Man. The Korean and Japanese teams, who have more strength and experience, will have the upper hand without any doubt.
As night falls, Qatari league leaders Vokra will host Naaman Uzbekistan at 23.30 for another marquee match.
