Shanghai Seaport's recent losing streak in the league has been like a bolt from the blue, giving Shandong Taishan, who have been in hot pursuit, a glimpse of the Chinese Super League title.
Just in the last round of the league, Seaport suffered another defeat, losing to Chengdu Rongcheng with a score of 1-2 on the road. This result undoubtedly brings new opportunities for Taishan. If Taishan can beat Dalian Ren on the road, the gap between the two teams will be narrowed to 6 points, and the remaining 4 rounds of the league provide Taishan with the possibility of a comeback.
However, Taishan failed to capitalize on this opportunity. They drew 0-0 with Dalian Ren on the road, still trailing the harbor by eight points, which makes the hope of winning the Chinese Super League title this season more and more remote.
The result of Taishan's draw with Dalian Ren was unexpected by many fans. Prior to this match, many predicted that Taishan would go all out to beat Dalian Ren in order to gain valuable relegation points. And in next week's F.A.C. Cup semi-final, Dalian Ren will repay Taishan in the same way, forfeiting the match to allow Taishan to advance to the F.A.C. Cup final.
After the home draw with Shandong Taishan, Dalian head coach Xie Hui's attitude is thought-provoking. In an interview with reporters, Xie Hui said, "This point is both valuable and crucial for us. Next, we will do our best to win every game. In the AFC Cup, we will rotate at least half of our players. Despite being in first place in the league at the moment, we still have to fight for promotion to the F.A.C. Cup."
Despite Xie Hui's comments expressing Dalian's determination to reach the final of the FA Cup, it is clear to everyone that he has given up on the Cup early. As we all know, Dalian Ren is one of the weakest teams in the Chinese Super League. In the past two years, the club's financial situation has been worrisome, most of the team's main players have moved on, and the strength of foreign aid is limited. It can be said that today's Dalian Ren can only rely on veterans to support them.
In addition, two of Dalian Ren's starters, He Yupeng and Wang Zhenao, are currently competing in the Asian Games of the National Football League. If Dalian people rotate half of their main players in the semi-final of the AFC Cup, how can they fight against Shandong Taishan? Therefore, Xie Hui's words in the interview have clearly informed everyone that Dalian people will not pose any threat to Shandong Taishan team in the F.A.C. Cup match.
Xie Hui, the coach known for his fiery outbursts, has been known for his outspokenness in the domestic soccer world. In the past few years, he has offended many people because he never caters to others. One of the most typical examples was when he was coaching Nantong Zhiyun, he drunkenly revealed the truth about his old boss Shanghai Port spending 12 billion yuan to win the championship, thus offending the then Port club and Football Association chairman Chen Xuyuan, who had to voluntarily resign and go to Germany.
Now, two years after the "12 billion incident", Xie Hui seems to have become smoother and more aware of the world. I have to admit, whether it is black or white, when you enter the big dyestuff tank of Chinese soccer, you will end up being dyed with the same color...
