The Chinese Super League is in a state of flux, and Taishan have risen to the top with Choi Kang-hee at the helm, leaping into second place with only one loss. Compared to Shenhua, whose momentum is slipping, Taishan is stronger, but there is still a 14-point gap between them and the leading harbor team, making the road to the championship a difficult one. The priority now is to stabilize the second place, but also to take care of the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, Taishan team needs to plan carefully.
In terms of staffing, Taishan team also made adjustments. With Cressan injured, Pato was brought in during the summer transfer window to strengthen the forward line. Pato helped his team score with a penalty kick against Meizhou Hakka, which became the first goal for the newcomer after joining the team. The Korean coaching duel between Seo Jung-won and Choi Kang-hee is highly anticipated against the stronger Rongcheng. Despite their close personal relationship, Choi is determined to beat Rongcheng with the game in mind.
It was rumored before the match that top scorer Cressan recovered from injury, and Choi Kang-hee confirmed the news at the conference. In the last round, although Crezan had the opportunity to play, the coaching staff chose to be conservative and let Crezan return to form. Now, Crezan's return has energized the Taishan team, and the Brazilian striker combination with Pato is expected.
Rongcheng has been in a slump recently, losing three out of four and dropping to fourth place. However, it is only two points away from Taishan. If Rongcheng can win, it will directly surpass Taishan. Despite Choi Kang-hee's good relationship with Seo Jung-won, he has always been disciplined in front of the game and is determined to prove his coaching ability with a win.
Both sides drew 2-2 in the first round, and Taishan will need to strengthen their defense in order to play better offense in order to win. Fans are looking forward to 3 consecutive victories for Taishan after Klassen's return. It is worth mentioning that a number of players in the Taishan team who have returned from injury, such as Jadason, Cressan, Zheng Zheng, Liu Yang, Wang Tong, etc., have performed well and strengthened the thickness of the Taishan team.
