In the 14th round of the Chinese Super League, the match between Taishan and Harbour is undoubtedly the most interesting. These two teams have always been strong contenders for the title. Although Taishan encountered some challenges at the beginning of the season, under the leadership of new head coach Choi Kang-hee, the team has rebounded and achieved remarkable results on both fronts. However, with a record of 5 wins, 6 draws, and 2 losses, and 21 points, they are 11 points adrift of leaders Harbor, making it difficult to catch up. For Harbor, they have always been in the lead of the league, both in terms of strength and performance. Coach Javier's team is still hoping to win all three points on the road against Taishan.
The starting lineup of the match, Taishan team adopted a 451 formation, Wang Dalei defending the goal, Zheng Zheng and Shi Ke partnering center back, Liu Yang and Ji Xiang on both sides, Li Yuan and Liao Lixiang sitting in the midfield, Moises, Chen Pu, Liu Binbin composed of three strikers, Fellaini single arrow. Harbour team, on the other hand, followed the traditional 433 attacking formation, Yan Junling guarded the goal, Jiang Guangtai, Zhang Linpeng, Wang Shenchao, Li Shuai formed the defense, Cai Huikang, Oscar, Xu Xin formed the midfield, Wu Lei, Lv Wengjun, buy Tijiang as a striker.
At the beginning of the match, both teams were cautious in the first 15 minutes despite their familiarity with each other. Seaport had nearly 60% of the ball and took the initiative on the field. However, Tarzan's defense was solid and Harbor had few chances. In contrast, the Taishan team more often than not chose to take the initiative to defend and counterattack.
In the 43rd minute, Liu Binbin made a quick breakthrough on the right into the penalty area, attracting numerous harbor defenders. He got a one-touch chance with his speed, but the keeper came out in time. Liu Binbin then skillfully passed the ball to 26-year-old international player Chen Pu. Chen Pu faced an open goal and easily broke through, giving Taishan a 1-0 lead at half-time.
After the change of sides, Seaport stepped up their attack, constantly pressurizing Taishan's sides. Finally, in the 74th minute, Wu Lei grabbed a header chance from a brilliant pass by Wang Sun, but he hit the crossbar. Then, Li Shenglong added a goal to make the score 1-1 and both sides were back to the same starting line. In the end, Taishan drew 1-1 with Seaport at home, a result that was somewhat surprising. With Harbour's third draw of the season, the title race is no longer one-sided, providing opportunities for other teams. Currently, the gap between Taishan and the top of the table remains at 11 points.
