After two years of stormy weather, the center forward position in the national soccer team seems to be solid as a rock, and the addition of Zhang Yuning has given the position a new lease of life. Standing at 185cm tall and with a strong physique, he has studied in Holland and is not only good at playing as an attacking pivot, but also has the ability to drop back to get the ball and assist in attacking midfield, which is perfect.
However, Zhang Yuning's career has not been a smooth ride, with injuries becoming a major problem for him. He had withdrawn from the national youth team due to injuries, and his recent national team matches have been marred by his injuries, with the lack of a pivot point on the offensive end of the field, and Wu Lei's play greatly diminished.
In the absence of Zhang Yuning, another local striker, Barton, stepped up to the plate and his outburst took the pressure off the team. The 27-year-old Barton, a former striker for Beijing Guoan, now plays for Tianjin Jinmen Tigers. His outstanding performances on the national brand and in the league, such as scoring goals like a tidal wave, have been a sight to behold.
In the 13th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL), Tianjin Jinmen Tigers hosted Qingdao Hainiu, expecting an easy win, but they didn't expect to concede a goal in the opening half of the game. 0-1 down, the fans were anxious and worried that the team's first loss of the season was imminent. At the crucial moment, Barton stepped up and equalized the score with a penalty kick, then led the team to launch a counterattack and eventually won 3-2, with Barton's penalty kick becoming the turning point of the game.
Before the start of the league, Barton's warm-up match with the National Football Asian Games saw him assist Sun Chin Han to help his team beat South Korea 1-0, then in the National Football Team's away match against New Zealand, he came on as a late substitute to complete his first career goal and become Jankovic's first scorer for the national team under his coaching.
Barton has been in heroic form this year, with his game becoming almost synonymous with goals, both in the national team and club. In this way, Zhang Yuning's road to recovery is expected to be smoother, as Barton's presence and goal scoring is not a concern!
