The first round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) has come to an end, with five of the eight matches decided in favor of each other, and another three in favor of each other. Winners and losers included: Dalian 2-1 Nantong Zhiyun, Wuhan Sanzhen 0-2 Shanghai Port, Zhejiang 0-2 Changchun Yatai, Shanghai Shenhua 1-0 Shandong Taishan, Shenzhen 2-1 Qingdao Hainiu. The draws came in Beijing Guoan 1-1 Meizhou Hakka, Henan 1-1 Chengdu Rongcheng, and Tianjin Jinmen Tigers 1-1 Cangzhou Lions. Three naturalized players played together in this round of matches: Jiang Guangtai of Shanghai Port, Ekerson, who returned to the Chinese Super League, and Fernando, who joined Shandong Taishan.
Jiang Guangtai has been deeply involved in the Chinese Super League since he became a naturalized player, while Ickerson and Fernando had returned to Brazil after the unpaid wages fiasco in Guangzhou. During his time in Brazil, Iverson joined Pakistan B for one season, helping the team return to the First Division. In contrast, Fernando never played again in Brazil, and injuries in Guangzhou have kept him out of uniform for three years. With their return to the Chinese Super League and a new manager for the national football team, the two naturalized players are once again in the spotlight, generating a lot of attention from fans and the media.
In this round of the tournament, Ackerson made his debut as Chengdu Rongcheng and gave his best effort in the whole match, but unfortunately failed to score a goal. Nevertheless, his performance was still noteworthy, and he finally got a rating of 6.9. It is worth mentioning that Chengdu Rongcheng's only goal came from a great pass by Eckerson. After receiving a pass from a teammate, Eckerson did not choose to pass to an unmarked teammate, but chose to break through with the ball himself, ultimately creating a chance for his teammate.
Although Fernando didn't start this round, he did a great job after coming on as a substitute. Although he made some mistakes in the early stage, in the second half, he created threats continuously and almost sealed the victory for his team. Especially at the end of the game, his free kicks and breakthroughs were very threatening. In the end, Fernando proved himself with a 6.9 rating.
In this way, Ackerson and Fernando are expected to be selected for the national team again to help the team in the Asian Cup. Whether they can be rejuvenated in the national team has become the focus of fans' attention.
