With both sides back on the same page and the clock pointing to the 74th minute, Choi Kang-hee decisively brought on Delgado, who has made a number of substitutions. Jadson received his fourth yellow card of the season for his dissatisfaction with the referee's decision, meaning he will miss the next match against Beijing Guoan. Delgado was given a chance to go in alone, but he was a little too slow to get past Rosicky's defense to finish the shot. Had the ball been handled by Vako, it might have been an easy breakaway. However, this time, Degado also failed to be the miracle man to turn the game around.
Towards the end of the match, Choi Kang-hee once again employed his usual tactic of shifting Jadson to center back. Even the experienced Choi Kang-hee couldn't reverse the defeat. It would be an unacceptable result for Shandong Taishan to get only one point on the road. The combination of Peng Bi and Peng Xinli may be able to ease the pressure from the outside world, but Bi Jinhao's performance in the forward line has been disappointing, with few highlights even in the Central League. It remains to be seen whether it was wise to play Kressan against Jinglu while retaining his strength. Perhaps Choi Kang-hee thought he didn't need to use Klassen and Wang Dalei against Yatai, but that decision may have negative consequences.
Bijinho did not play his part in this game, and Choi Kang-hee reverted to the long-pass tactic. If this continues, a change of head coach may become necessary. Shandong has obvious shortcomings in their roster and are in desperate need of reinforcements. Beijing Guoan and Chengdu Rongcheng both won their first matches in the second half of the season, but only Shandong Taishan is still standing still. Considering the current squad and form, as well as Jadson's absence, Taishan's performance is unpredictable. Fortunately, Cressan and Wang Dalei will be back for the next game and will stick to the pitch even with their injuries. In order to avoid a crushing defeat, it is vital that Choi Kang-hee breaks the spell of his second year in the Chinese Super League.
