The night of October 25th in Beijing witnessed the third round of the AFC Champions League group stage, with Shandong Taishan and Zhejiang United launching an onslaught of attacks, eventually decimating their opponents with a 2-0 scoreline by default. Meanwhile, Wuhan Sanzhen also picked up their first win in AFC Champions League history last night, as the Chinese Super League team once again won all of their AFC Champions League group stage matches in a single round after six years. Under this achievement, Shanghai Harbour's Chinese Super League (CSL) management looked particularly embarrassed, with their goalkeeper Yan Junling under immense pressure. After all, this round of the AFC Champions League Chinese Super League teams not only achieved three consecutive victories, but also emerged two extraordinary strength of the goalkeeper, which poses a serious threat to Yan Junling's position in the national team.
Among the opponents of the three Chinese Super League teams in this round, Incheon United, the powerhouse of South Korea's K-League, is undoubtedly the strongest. Shandong Taishan narrowly lost in the last round of the Chinese Super League, with three foreign players injured. This time, they are facing a challenge that should not be underestimated when playing on the road. At the beginning of the match, Incheon United launched an onslaught of attacks with the advantage of the home field, which at one time made Taishan's defense line in a state of panic. Fortunately, Taishan has a goalkeeper, Wang Dalei. In the first minute of the match, Dare confiscated a long pass from the opponent. In the 4th minute, he successfully deflected the opponent's close-range header. In the 38th minute, Incheon United's quick counterattack, Zheng Dongyun's shot was skillfully deflected by Wang Dalei.
Throughout the match, Incheon United had 11 shots on goal, but 4 were parried out by Wang Dalei, and despite this, they had to accept a 0-2 defeat. Despite being 34 years old, Wang Dalei is still in excellent form. Wang Dalei was instrumental in Shandong Taishan conceding only 23 goals in 28 rounds of the Chinese Super League. In terms of athleticism, he has undoubtedly surpassed Yan Junling.
Similarly, Zhejiang goalkeeper Zhao Bo also performed well in this game. Facing the Japanese Emperor's Cup champions Kofu Fung Lam, Zhao Bo made a number of heroic saves to keep the goal intact. In the first two rounds of the AFC Champions League group stage, although Zhejiang suffered a loss, Zhao Bo also contributed seven saves, showing his strength. As a goalkeeper, Zhao Bo is 1.88 meters tall and has an excellent sense of position, goal-line technique and reaction in front of the goal. 30 years old is the golden age of goalkeepers. Although he has not had national team experience, Zhao Bo was selected to the national team.
In contrast, Yan Junling is in an awkward position as the first national goalkeeper. In the last round of the Chinese Super League, he made a fatal mistake that led to a goal conceded by the harbor and became the scapegoat for his team's 1-2 loss to Beijing Guoan. This lackluster performance has fans worried about his performance in the upcoming preseason.
It is worth noting that Shanghai Harbor and Shandong Taishan will go head-to-head in the 29th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) this weekend. This matchup at the top of the Chinese Super League could be Yan Junling's last chance to save himself. If he fails to lead his team to a good result, Shanghai Seaport may lose the title that is within their grasp, and Yan Junling's position as the national team goalkeeper will also be in jeopardy.
