Guangzhou's strength has been sharply reduced by the return of a number of big-name foreign and naturalized players. After Cannavaro's release from his contract, Zheng Zhi took over as head coach, and the battle with Guoan marked the debut of his coaching career.
After the game, Guoan skipper Bilic spoke highly of Zheng Zhi's performance: “When I exchanged ideas with Zheng Zhi, I expressed my appreciation for the team's style of play, especially how to pull away from the opponent when controlling the ball. This style of play requires great courage, which we all have. I could feel their determination and they showed a brave soccer spirit.” After this game, Guoan climbed to fifth place in the championship group standings, while Guangzhou stayed at the fourth position. In the other match, Shandong Taishan beat Hebei 5-0 to continue leading the title race with 36 points.
