In a tense warm-up match against Vietnam, our soccer team won 2-0, their first victory in nearly two months. Compared to a month ago, the team's lineup has undergone a major reshuffle, with many Asian Games members among the national team.
Facing Vietnam, coach Yang Kovic adjusted his tactics to a 352 formation, with newcomers Fang Hao and Liu Yang playing as wingbacks, while Ngo Sai and Li Ke stood firm in midfield.
In the first half, Wu Xi and Li Ke failed to effectively connect the front and back of the field, failing to play the role of offensive and defensive pivot. In the second half, Jankovic decisively replaced Dai Weijun, the national football team gradually control the rhythm of the game, substitute Wang Qiuming scored the first goal.
Although Wu Xi is still at the heart of the team, the 34-year-old's form has declined significantly. He is no longer a starter for Shenhua in the league, and his performance in the national team is also in trouble. Fans have called on Jankovic to drop Wusi to make room for younger players.
Some Shanghai fans have suggested that a Hong Kong midfielder could be utilized to fill Wu Xi's spot, but the player is no longer on the national team's training roster.
According to Shandong media, Hong Kong's current international players are not safe to represent the national team because they were taken away from the Chinese Super League and paid 5 million dollars.
Though the media has not revealed the names of the players taken, fans may already have a good idea.
The player studied in Europe and joined La Liga's Atletico Madrid before returning to China to play for Guangzhou Evergrande, with whom he won the Chinese Super League title and the FA Cup.
In the 2021 season, he moved to Shandong Taishan and quickly became the centerpiece of the team's midfield, which won the double crown this season.
However, after only one season, he was poached by Shanghai Harbour at a high salary, sparking controversy among fans in both places. After joining Harbour, the player did not perform as well as he did at Taishan.
A red card, a slump in form, lack of training and a decline in fitness led to him being dropped by Hong Kong coach Leko. This season, the player returned to the starting lineup after Javier's arrival, but his league performance is still unsatisfactory, with no goals or assists so far.
Nonetheless, the player has been selected for the national team several times this year and only suffered his first loss this month. Some fans believe that this is due to poor performances in warm-up matches, and there are also rumors that he has been taken away by the relevant authorities for investigation.
However, these rumors have not been confirmed. As the "anti-corruption" storm in domestic soccer continues to fester, who can guarantee that such news is not true?
