The night was low, the capital city was brightly lit on June 16th, Shandong Taishan beat Changchun Yatai by an absolute advantage of 4-0 in a much-anticipated duel, opening the new season's first double-consecutive championship journey, and at the same time, it also gave Yatai's season trip with a touch of regret.
In the middle of the battle, Taishan was like a tiger coming down from the mountain, while Yatai's defense made many mistakes, and all four goals were scored due to the defense's failure. However, Taishan didn't rely solely on their opponents' mistakes, but also their own fighting spirit.
This is a marquee match between two teams that were the best in the league last season. Although Taishan successfully defended its title, its performance in the new season has not yet met expectations; while Yatai has ranked among the league's top four by virtue of its dark horse status. However, in this matchup, Taishan showed a much better performance.
Goalkeeper Liu Weiguo made two cheap mistakes in the match, leading to two consecutive points for Taishan. The player from Luneng's youth training camp had traveled to Guangzhou Evergrande but was never able to get a chance to enroll in the first team. His mistakes certainly added to the drama of the game.
It's worth noting that Taishan's victory wasn't solely based on their opponents' mistakes. In the second half, Okere's mistake allowed Jin Jingdao to break through, while Moises' brilliant long-distance shot originated from a clearance error by an Ateneo player. The momentum of Taishan's offense was evident.
Although all four goals came from the opponent's mistakes, the fighting spirit of Taishan's players should not be ignored. Liu Weiguo's mistake in the first half came from Taishan's high press, Jin Jingdao's goal came from his relentless running, and Sun Junhao's key interception sealed the win for Taishan.
With this victory, Taishan gained three points and ushered in their first consecutive win of the new season. Coach Hao Wei was at ease on the sidelines, in stark contrast to the tension of the first three games. However, after the victory, Taishan still needs to find a breakthrough in the offense. Cressan's integration problem and the team's lack of a pivot point in front of the field are the problems that Taishan needs to solve.
After all, the fruit of victory needs to be supported by its own strength. Taishan team knows that only by constantly improving their own strength can they continue to maintain their advantage in the face of stronger opponents. (Yang Xixi)
