In a thrilling FA Cup 1/8 final, Shanghai Shenhua beat Zhejiang by a whopping score of 5-1 to advance to the next round. Malelai was undoubtedly the center of attention in the match, scoring three goals alone and becoming the brightest star of the match. Shanghai Shenhua, who started the match, almost sent the strongest lineup, with core players such as Han Chao and Lennardo making their debut. At the beginning of the game, Shanghai Shenhua took control of the rhythm and quickly built up a lead. In the first half, Han Chao's sharp breakthrough and the mistakes of the opponent's defenders created a good opportunity for Shanghai Shenhua to take a penalty kick. Malelei scored a brace and followed it up with another goal to extend the lead. Lennardo also created a penalty kick, but missed the chance due to a penalty error. In the second half, Lennardo found his form and scored two goals in a row, but goals from Malelai and another player, Zhang Wei, sealed the win. Throughout the game, Shanghai Shenhua had the absolute advantage and Zhejiang had few chances to counterattack.
Mallet's outstanding performance not only helped his team win the game, but also completed a hat-trick, making him a deserved tournament MVP. His goal-scoring efficiency and keen sense of smell are exactly the strengths he has shown in recent years. In this match, Shanghai Shenhua proved the stability of their lineup and their ability to create chances at any time, which is one of their strengths in the league. With this kind of performance, Shanghai Shenhua is naturally the favorite candidate to win the Chinese Super League this season. However, this FA Cup victory is just a small step in the stage. Shanghai Shenhua needs to maintain stability and improve their league ranking, which is the team's next concern. In this process, the performance of Mallet and other core players is crucial. Fans also hope that Shanghai Shenhua can continue to maintain this form and contribute more to China's soccer industry. After the match, head coach Wu Jingui expressed his satisfaction with his team's victory, highlighting the team's overall defensive performance, praising the players for their fast counter-attacks and the accuracy of the last three kicks. Wu Jingui also spoke highly of Malelai's performance, saying that his goals and performance were crucial. Of course, Wu Jingui also mentioned that the team needs to summarize and improve the shortcomings, and thanked the players, music department and fans for their support. It is worth mentioning that Wu Jingui's tactical arrangement was very skillful, which kept the team scoring fast. By combining the sides with the middle, this is Shenhua's secret weapon to occupy the top of the table in the Chinese Super League this season. Although the team will need to rotate players in the upcoming matches to maintain their form and fitness, this win has definitely injected confidence into the team. Shanghai Shenhua will continue to stay alert and ready for the next match.
