Stepping into the first round of the 2023 Chinese Super League season, the Huzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium witnessed a fierce battle: Changchun Yatai defeated Zhejiang with a 2-0 record, successfully opening the new season with a victory. Tan Long and Serginho took the lead in this crucial victory. In the 80th minute, Tan Long took a teammate's corner kick and broke the opponent's door with a header; then, in the 88th minute towards the end of the game, Serginho sealed the victory with a precise header inside the penalty area.
Tan Long, the 35-year old veteran of Yatai, not only set a new personal record of starting in the Chinese Super League, but also showed a level of competitiveness in the first round of the competition that is difficult for young players to reach. It is worth noting that the goal marked Tan Long's 200th game in China at all levels of the league and his 120th in the Chinese Super League.
Tan Long, born in 1988 in Dalian, Liaoning province, is a 1.85-meter-tall player who can play both as a center forward and a right winger. A former member of the Olympic selection team, he started his career at Shanghai Zhongbang in 2007 and made his debut with the team before moving to the American League in late 2008, where he played for a number of clubs, including the Vancouver Whitecaps, who made him China's first player to play in the US professional league in 2011.
Tan Long returned home to join Changchun Yatai in 2017 and has had a tough time along the way. He was relegated to China's First Division with the team, but helped them return to the Chinese Super League with some outstanding performances. At Changchun Yatai, Tan Long saw the pinnacle of his career, making his national soccer debut at the age of 30 and being called up to the national soccer team for his outstanding performances for the club.
Physical, impactful and self-disciplined, Tan Long is still able to give his all in the Chinese Super League even at the age of 35. This year, Tan Long made his debut in the friendly match between China and New Zealand, and broke the goal repeatedly in the pre-season warm-up match of Changchun Yatai. I believe that under head coach Chen Yang's tactical system, Tan Long will continue to play a key role in helping the team achieve excellent results in the new season.
