On the stage of the upcoming 2023 China Football Association Cup final, Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua, the two giants of the Cup, will face off for supreme honors on Saturday, November 25 at 00:00 at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium.On November 19, Shandong Taishan Football Club announced that, as the previous champion, the team had departed for Suzhou in the afternoon of the same day to kick off the champion's journey for the FA Cup.
Live footage captured the Shandong Taishan team with captain Fellaini leading a group of players such as Kressan, Jixiang, Li Yuanyi, Liao Lisheng, Song Long and others on their journey in high spirits. Kressan was not shy about taking off his jacket and changing into a short-sleeved one, and Fellaini gave a thumbs-up in front of the camera, showing his confidence in the upcoming game.
Arriving in Suzhou six days ahead of schedule, Shandong Taishan's goal for the trip is undoubtedly to defend their title and create a "fourth consecutive championship". In the face of the upcoming AFC Champions League, the team's coach Cui Kangxi and his disciples are looking forward to defeating Shanghai Shenhua and winning the trophy at the least possible cost. In terms of overall strength and recent performance, Shandong Taishan seems to be slightly better, but the defending champions still need to be ready to meet the challenge, and this match will decide the last seat of the AFC Champions League next season.
Despite Shanghai Shenhua missing out on a chance to reach the AFC Champions League after going down 1-2 to Zhejiang in their most recent Super League match, Coach Wu Jingui and his team will be going all out for the AFC Cup title. It's worth noting that Shanghai Shenhua also has a glorious history in the F.A.C.A. Cup, reaching the final six times and winning the title three times, including a moment in the spotlight in 2019 when they beat Shandong Taishan.
The match at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center is like a home game for Shanghai fans, and a large number of fans are expected to travel to cheer for Shenhua, which will be a challenge Shandong Taishan will have to face. Tickets for the game have been hot since the evening of Nov. 18, with tickets priced at 120 yuan, 160 yuan, 260 yuan and 360 yuan, making them hard to come by.
According to the weather forecast, the temperature in Suzhou on the day of the match will be between 7℃ and 16℃, similar to Jinan and Shanghai, which will be favorable for the players of both sides to play and bring an exciting match. The match will also determine whether Chengdu Rongcheng, the fourth-place finisher in the Chinese Super League, will be able to qualify for the AFC Champions League, and if Shandong Taishan wins, Chengdu Rongcheng will be awarded the last ticket to the AFC Champions League.
In the 2023 Chinese Super League season, the two teams met twice, each winning once, and now they meet in the final of the F.A.C.A. Cup, how will this summit showdown be interpreted? Let's look forward to it.
