The 13th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) ended with a narrow 2-1 victory for Seaport, but the victory did not fully reflect the true strength of the two teams. From the course of the game, whether it is the tactical layout or the individual technical level of the players, the seaport has shown a higher level. It is worth mentioning that Guoan had a chance to take a one-goal lead, but missed the chance due to a controversial offside goal. Had it not been for this, the situation of the match would have changed drastically, and Guoan might even have won the title against all odds. The goal was disallowed, which had a considerable impact on the players' mentality, and the conceding of the goal also exposed their negligence in defense.
If the first loss only stayed at the performance level, then the bigger pain for Guoan stemmed from major injuries to the main players. In the first half, the team's main winger Yang Liyu was unfortunately kicked in the ankle by Cai Huikang during a confrontation, and slow-motion footage showed that his ankle instantly bent up to 90 degrees. Although he barely managed to support himself without collapsing, he soon fell to the ground to make an alternative move. Obviously, he could not continue to hold on to the match. After the match, through imaging tests, Yang was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right ankle, which is a serious injury that prevents him from even walking normally.
As the league has passed the halfway point, the outside world is full of concerns about Yang Liyu's recovery progress. According to media reports, Yang Liyu will probably miss all the remaining matches of the season, which is undoubtedly a huge blow to Guoan. On the one hand, Yang Liyu is the franchise player of the season, as the key player of the team, even after the coaching change, he is still the first choice of the new coach Suarez. Now that he is injured, the team's right side offense is seriously affected, and the coaching staff must find a suitable replacement.
Up to now, Yang Liyu has made 14 appearances, including 12 starts, and contributed 5 goals. He is the team's top scorer and the core of the offense, and his performance has been widely recognized. Now, his serious injury has not only taken a toll on the team, but also negatively impacted his psyche. But at this stage, Yang needs to focus on recuperating from his injury. As to whether he will be reimbursed for the whole season, we still need to wait for the recovery result of the injury.
Prolonged injuries often have a profound effect on an athlete's form. Whether he will be able to regain a starting position when he returns to the field is still an open question. And it may take longer to work his way back to the national team. Only through consistent performance and outstanding play in the league will he have a better chance of achieving this goal.
