Entering the third round of the AFC Champions League group stage for the 2023 season, Zhejiang, last season's third-place finisher in the Chinese Super League, will first face J2 League rivals Fenglin. The team won the cup last season with a stunning performance against rivals Sanfrecce Hiroshima. In this season's J2 League, they are ranked seventh with 58 points from 16 wins, 10 draws and 13 losses, a strength that should not be underestimated. However, as a second-tier league team, they were not favored by outsiders before the match, but the fact was unexpected.
Zhejiang initially showed strength, but then lost two consecutive matches in real life, defeating Buriram United and Melbourne, conceding 6 goals in two matches, with a porous defense, and currently ranked last in the group with 0 points. In the third round, Zhejiang returned home to face the leader Javelin. The only way to keep their hopes of advancing is to win, otherwise the road to promotion will be extremely difficult. This is the first time in the history of the two teams to meet, and the battle is extremely intense. Zhejiang must solve the problems on the offensive end, and at the same time fend off the long-time Chinese Super League player, U-Taka, who knows the tactical characteristics of the Chinese Super League team like the back of his hand.
In terms of starting lineups, Zhejiang followed the traditional 442 formation, with goalkeeper Zhao Bo, Sun Zheng Ao, Yue Xin, Dong Yu, and Lucas forming a solid defense, and Frank leading Li Tixiang, Cheng Jin, and Zhang Jiaqi in the midfield partnership, with Evra and Mu Xiekui as the double strikers; whereas Fenglin went with the 343 attacking formation, with Ward, Lian Chuan, Sekiguchi Dai, and Kaiser Kamiya manning the back line, and Kobayashi Iwashi, Hayashi Tadawaki, and Shinoda Aidoo, Yoshiki Torumi supporting in the midfield, with Uttaka, Shimaru, and Gertullio in charge of the offense.
As the game unfolded, Zhejiang continued to pressure their opponents with a 55% ball possession rate by virtue of their home ground. Fenglin, on the other hand, utilized counter-attack opportunities to create threats. Zhejiang took advantage of their opponent's defensive weaknesses and got off to a fantastic start in the 9th minute with an assist from Li Tixiang and a header from Lucas.
Trailing, Fenglin quickly launched a counter-attack and created a dangerous situation in front of the goal, where Uttaka had a chance, but Zhao Bo stepped up to defuse the crisis and ensure that Zhejiang took a one-goal lead in the first half. Zhejiang continued to attack and in the 57th minute, Frank made consecutive breakthroughs and then assisted Mu Xiekui to add another goal. Despite Fenglin's all-out counterattack, chances were few and far between as Zhejiang's defense held firm to maintain a two-goal lead, inflicting a first loss on the leaders and earning their first win in the AFC Champions League group stage.
