On the cold and windy afternoon of December 27th, Beijing Guoan will usher in the 33rd round of the 2022 Chinese Super League (CSL) "Beijing-Shanghai Showdown" with Shanghai Seaport at the International Soccer Center Stadium, a soccer mecca in Rizhao. Although the team is full of injuries, Guoan has won the last three matches in a row with the help of U21 players, and the momentum is strong. 26 pre-match press conference, coach Stanley firmly stated that the team will do their best to make up for the disadvantage of personnel vacancies, and strive to play well in this round of the game.
The Super League is winding down, but many teams are suffering from a wave of injuries. Many teams have no choice but to forfeit and are unable to complete their fixtures simply because of a lack of sign-ups. However, although Guoan also suffered from a collective cold among its star players, it benefited from the FA's temporary policy and managed to call up a number of U21 players to fill in the gaps. In the final round of the tournament, the U21-based Guoan team beat Guangzhou 3-1 in a come-from-behind victory, and the fighting spirit and vigor of the young players was a sight to behold.
Last week, Guoan's U21 team won the CFA U21 League with a clean sweep, which not only boosted the morale of the young players, but also injected new energy into the team. In this week's training, Coach Stanley focused on developing the young players, expecting them to maintain their pursuit of victory in the last two rounds of matches.
Looking ahead to the upcoming Harbor Battle, Stanley revealed, "Facing various difficulties, a number of players are unable to play, which has brought challenges to our preparation. Currently, the club is actively seeking solutions and all players are doing their best to prepare for the remaining matches."
Young player Hu Jiaqi, who participated in the press conference, contributed a key assist in the last round. He is full of confidence for the upcoming showdown in the harbor: "After a period of rest, we are fully prepared. We are grateful to our teammates for their support, and to the club and the head coach for giving us this opportunity to show ourselves. We will do our best to show the team's characteristics and deliver a great showdown."
