The Chinese Super League (CSL) teams have been triumphant in their overseas trips, while the domestic Chinese Super League (CSL) teams have been pleasantly surprised! While the Chinese Super League (CSL) teams have had many triumphs overseas, the domestic Chinese Super League (CSL) teams have had many surprises as the 2023-2024 AFC Champions League season kicked off and the Chinese Super League (CSL) teams have had some great results. Although there are only three CSL teams participating in this year's AFC Champions League, Shandong Taishan made a big splash on the first day of the tournament, beating Philippine league champions Kaya FC 3-1, albeit with a substitute lineup.
All four goals came in the second half, with each of the foreigners scoring, with Moises breaking the deadlock in the 63rd minute and Pato adding a second. Kaya FC got a goal back thanks to their foreigners, but Cressan added another in injury time to seal the win.
It wasn't easy for Shandong Taishan to beat the Philippine league champions on the road with only a substitute lineup. Why is it not easy? If you know the past of Kaya FC, you can understand it all.
A few years ago, it was Kaya FC that played the AFC Champions League qualifying match against Shanghai in Shanghai. Facing a Shanghai team that also played with a substitute lineup, Kaya advanced to the AFC Champions League with only a narrow one-goal win, which became a shame in Shanghai's history - the first time they lost in a qualifying match and were eliminated by a Southeast Asian team. Who's to say it wasn't an embarrassment?
It can be said that Shandong Taishan has avenged Shanghai. Before the match, many people were sweating for Shandong Taishan. This is a team that has eliminated Shanghai. Cui Kangxi even dared to play as a substitute. It seems that Kaya FC is not a tough opponent, and perhaps Shanghai did not really take the AFC Champions League seriously.
A few years ago, I lost to a Southeast Asian team in the qualifying round. This year, the Shanghai team met a Southeast Asian team again and lost again. I was knocked out twice in a row by Southeast Asian teams in the qualifying rounds, and the Shanghai team set a new "record" in the Chinese Super League. In fact, it is not that Shanghai is not strong enough, but they are not really committed to the AFC Championship.
Interestingly, just on the day of Shandong Taishan's AFC Champions League match to avenge Shanghai's defeat, the Hong Kong players took to social media to post cozy family photos (below).
Shanghai Port goalkeeper Yan Junling took a photo on Weibo and captioned it, "Warm big family #Shanghai Port." In the photo, Shanghai Port players, coaches and others took a special group photo while building the group. In addition to Yan Junling, Oscar also shared the photo.
There's no match, and it doesn't hurt to get the whole team together for a photo op. But the Hong Kong players may have forgotten that this is a sensitive day - if they pay attention to their opponents, today is the day they face Ulsan Hyundai in the AFC Champions League. Baton Rouge United, who eliminated Hong Kong, suffered their first AFC Champions League loss today, 1-3 against Ulsan Hyundai.
As the strongest team in China and about to become this year's Chinese Super League champions, the Shanghai team is the only one of the Chinese Super League's Big4 to be absent from this season's AFC Champions League. This stark contrast is not only puzzling, but also makes people reflect. While the Big3 are fighting for our country in the AFC Champions League, the Shanghai team is living in harmony within China, seemingly forgetting about the AFC Champions League altogether.
