With the arrival of June, Shandong Taishan, a traditional Chinese Super League powerhouse like a tiger, once again demonstrated the majesty of the championship division.
Since South Korean coach Choi Kang-hee took the helm, Taishan has achieved an impressive record of four wins and two draws in the Chinese Super League, as well as a 6-1 thrashing of Dongguan Guanlian in the F.A.C.A. Cup, maintaining a proud record of seven consecutive rounds of undefeated matches.
The upcoming Chinese Super League showdown will be crucial for Taishan, as they host leaders Shanghai Harbor. The match will mean six valuable points for both teams, with the winner taking a step closer to the title this season.
Harbor's recent performance is also encouraging, with three consecutive victories in the league and the AFC Cup. In particular, they beat Beijing Guoan, a veteran of the Chinese Super League, by a 2-1 score on the road, which was a lucky win, but also showed their resilience.
However, compared to Taishan, Seaport is slightly better in terms of foreign aid configuration, with four foreign aiders - Oscar, Paulinho, Vargas and Pinko - in hot form, and the addition of popular international player Wu Lei, Seaport's attacking power is considered to be at the top of the Chinese Super League.
On Taishan's side, Sun Jungho was arrested, Jadason was suspended, the fifth foreign aid is doubtful, Choi Kang-hee can only rely on three foreign aid at present. Facing the harbor's four foreign aid lineup, Taishan will face a severe test.
Nonetheless, Choi Kang-hee is still confident about hosting Harbor, and he hopes to lead his team to a third consecutive title in the league and the AFC Cup with this victory. It's not just about winning three points, it's about revitalizing the team's morale and returning to the Super League title.
This game will be a key battle to test Cui Kangxi's coaching ability. Since his appointment, although the Taishan team has not encountered powerful opponents, but the Shanghai seaport is undoubtedly the current Chinese Super League's most powerful and state of the team.
Choi Kang-hee will prove his mettle if he can beat Seaport at home. He is still regarded as the best manager in the Chinese Super League, despite being dismissed at Dalian Ren and Shanghai Shenhua, not for lack of ability, but for the limited strength of the team to adapt to his advanced soccer philosophy.
At the tactical level, Choi Kang-hee needs to be on high alert against the counter-attacking ability of the harbor. In the face of the opponent's fast counter-attack, he may continue to employ the double back combination of Huang Zhengyu and Liao Lisheng to cut off the opponent's connection with the striker and keep a close eye on Oscar. At the same time, he will utilize the skills of Cressan and the header advantage of Fellaini to try to take the lead and eventually win the game at home.
The focus of the match between Taishan and Seaport has attracted the attention of many fans and media, and will be broadcast live on CCTV5+, the CCTV sports channel. At that time, fans all over the country can witness this summit showdown on TV to see who can come out on top between Taishan and Seaport...
