In the last six matches, 20-year-old Shanghai Seaports striker Liu Zhurun performed well, scoring a total of three goals, two of which were scored in the crucial derby match with Shenhua, and was awarded the title of best player of a match.
Liu Zhurun has undoubtedly become the biggest highlight and gain on the forward line of Shanghai Harbour Team in this FA Cup tournament held in Dalian. Before leaving Dalian, the young star was interviewed by the media with the assistance of the press officer.
I help the team.
Liu Zhurun made his derby debut as a substitute in the first leg of the semi-final against Shenhua and scored the first goal of the derby. Despite scoring again in the second leg, he was still in disbelief about his debut goal.
"It was a bit confusing and I ran a bit after the goal before I remembered to celebrate. Then I reacted and was happy to score in such an important game." Liu Zhurun recalled, "As a striker, of course I thought about scoring, but I didn't expect it to come so soon. I was actually quite confused after scoring."
Talking about his trip to the AFC Cup, Liu Zhurun said that he initially came to Dalian with a learning attitude, "Of course, I also hoped that I could play and fight for more time. Luckily, I scored a header in the third game, and then my confidence came up and I felt that maybe I had the ability to help the team."
Remembering the Coach's Teachings
For head coach Leko, Liu Zhurun expressed his gratitude, "I am very grateful that he is willing to use us young players. I will take every game and every training session seriously in the coming matches. There is a saying from the head coach that I remember very well, which is 'how much love we have for soccer, how much love soccer will give back to us'. This is a very impressive quote and the head coach is right in saying that how much you give is how much you get back. In future training, I will work even harder to be the best I can be, to meet the demands of the head coach and execute his tactics."
The Harbor team has made great efforts to use young players this time, and Liu Zhurun said it is also a kind of motivation for him, "Chen Xuhuang and Zhang Huiyu are two years younger than me, and they are both on the field. I feel the pressure, I'm not the youngest in the team. They are also growing a little bit, so I have to work harder, improve myself and then go help the team."
Wu Lei is my target
After scoring in the first leg of the semi-final with Shenhua, Liu Zhurun broke Wu Lei's record as the youngest player to score in a derby. In response, Liu Zhurun kept a clear head, "In fact, I also saw these comments. But I'm still too far away from Lei, is a full range, such as holding the ball, forward, and experience is far less than him. Lei is my goal, I first want to look like Lei."
After Oscar assisted Liu Zhurun's goal, the two had an exchange on the field. Liu Zhurun revealed: "This is because there was a ball with a mistake, he passed to me, but I ran away. At that time, he was discussing the ball with me, I should go to receive. Oscar usually gives me a lot of guidance, teaching me how to play the center forward position well, how to pull and how to receive. I'm also very grateful to him for that goal. He had a lot of options, he could have shot it himself, and there was a chance on Baiti Jiang's side, and he chose to pass it to me in the end."
We'll build up our strength when we get back to Shanghai.
Summarize this AFC Cup match, Liu Zhurun think the biggest gain is to improve in the psychological, "before playing the game will still be nervous, these two derby is also the first time to play, feel the atmosphere on the field. The important thing is to enhance the self-confidence, technical dare to do action. In fact, I am still a little bit nervous when I come up, I don't dare to take the ball. I belong to the kind of person who can't let go of himself until he's familiar with the game. These two derbies, these two goals, it's a good exercise for me."
Confrontation with Feng Xiaoting, Jonić and other excellent center backs, also let Liu Zhurun see their own shortcomings, "and their confrontation is really difficult, these seniors are very old, basically can not grab the ball at their feet, which is also a kind of experience for me. In the confrontation and physical, I still have to be a lot worse, go back to work out, strengthen their confrontation ability."
Said practicing, Liu Zhurun said back to Shanghai after a few days of rest and recuperation, began to exercise strength and physical confrontation, "go back to rest first, and then add their own strength. This is the first thing I thought of, it is true that compared with the old players confrontation is a little worse."
