Fernando made a swift return to the starting lineup in Luneng's thrilling battle with Qilu, a change that came as a surprise to coach Choi Kang-hee. Looking back at Taishan's match against Shenhua, the team was unable to break Bao Yaxiong's defense despite repeated attacks and threatening shots.
With a lackluster forward line, the T&T team is in dire need of a scorer who can hit the ground running. Cressan's poor form has left the team without that killer blow at crucial moments. Fernando's timely comeback is expected to inject new vigor into the team. Fernando, the striker who had made a big splash in the Portuguese league, has also shown amazing goal-scoring ability after joining Chongqing Chinese Super League. If Fernando plays steadily in the Qilu derby, it will be just a matter of time before Taishan defeats their rivals, the Sea Bulls.
