On the night of February 20, Shandong Taishan defeated Kawasaki Frontale in a 4-2 comeback in the second round of the AFC Champions League round of sixteen, advancing with a thrilling 6-5 aggregate score. As the match came to an end, comments from the domestic media were like a tidal wave.
Former international footballer and famous commentator Li Yi was overwhelmed with emotion: "In this cold winter, Shandong Taishan has sent a ray of warm sunshine to our country's soccer! I always believe that Shandong Taishan will build a hundred years of club, not only in the domestic league, but also on behalf of our country to fly proudly in the Asian field. Today, you have done it, and I look forward to another good performance in the next game! Go for it!"
Media personality Li Xuan said, "Before the match, there wasn't much expectation for this game, especially after Kawasaki Frontale won the Super Cup with a substitute lineup. However, the match was full of twists and turns as the Taishan players held on until the last minute. Although the new foreigners have yet to find their best form, Kressan and Jadson played very well and the domestic players also showed their strength. It was a game of ups and downs that made people's blood boil. At that moment, I couldn't help but cheer and cry. When has Chinese soccer ever had such an exciting game?"
According to journalist Ma Dexing, "Shandong Taishan's victory injected a shot in the arm for Chinese soccer in the Year of the Dragon, boosting the morale of the entire Chinese soccer. The poor performance in the Asian Cup has put Chinese soccer in the doldrums, but this victory has restored our confidence!"
Reporter Zhao Yu teased, "Some fans expect Shandong Taishan to meet Riyadh Victory in the AFC Champions League, and then they will be able to see Crowe in person. I know it's just a joke, but it's not impossible in theory. It would be great if they do meet. We saw the real Riyadh Victory and Crowe, and the AFC Champions League final is very different from commercial matches."
Media personality Ji Yuyang pointed out, "Of the four goals scored by Shandong Taishan, Kressan's shot from outside the penalty area showed his individual ability, and Jadason's final strike was a stroke of genius. I would like to say a few more words about Taishan's second goal. Did it look a bit familiar to you? An opponent's corner kick turned into a goal for us?It was an opponent's corner kick that Belgium capitalized on in a counterattack against Japan at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Although Taishan's possession rate on the road was once as low as 23% and the crowd was only 34%, this low possession rate may have been a proactive choice for Taishan, and sometimes strong teams will take some chances on their own initiative."
Reporter Chen Hua said, "Shandong Taishan's performance is really exciting. However, this is, after all, the AFC Champions League, it's the club, it's the foreign aid. With foreign aid, the Chinese team's competitiveness in the East Asian tournament will be greatly improved. Without foreign aid, the performance of the national football team in the Asian Cup has proved this. 2024-2025 season, the number of foreign aid restrictions in the AFC Championship is fully liberalized, as long as there is enough money, the Chinese Super League clubs to copy the Evergrande's road to the championship is not impossible. But the problem is that Chinese soccer now has limited funds, and local players are also difficult to win."
Commentator Huang Jianxiang congratulated Shandong Taishan: "Congratulations on advancing to the next round of the AFC Champions League knockout stage after a 6-5 aggregate score and a 4-2 reversal away to Kawasaki Frontale! It was an exciting game! This win shows us that our players are no worse than the national teams in the Asian Cup! Today, there is no reason for Chinese soccer to be presumptuous and there is no need to be presumptuous."
Media personality Zhao Zhen said, "Shandong Taishan's comeback victory is inspiring, which proves the tacit understanding between the coach and the team. Shandong is indeed the right team for Lao Cui."
Journalist Zhang Qiang exclaimed, "This is a victory full of substance and strength! This is not a victory for Chinese soccer, not even for the Chinese Super League. Maybe Chinese soccer needs a killing, but will such a killing inspire those who shoulder the heavy responsibility of Chinese soccer to be more courageous and responsible?"
