The AFC Cup has reached its climax with the quarterfinal match at the Beijing Workers' Stadium. Beijing Guoan and Shandong Taishan are in the thick of the battle, and both teams are expected to advance to the quarterfinals. It is worth mentioning that both teams have had a glorious past in the AFC Cup, with Guoan winning the title four times and Taishan eight times. In this game, 50,000 fans flocked to the scene to witness a wonderful duel, and the referee was well-known referee Ma Ning.
Before the match, fans were full of expectations about whether Guoan could successfully enter the quarterfinals. The advantage of the home field and the refereeing of Ma Ning gave Guoan a head start. However, Shandong Taishan also knew how tough the match would be and prepared for it with all their might. The Taishan team showed strong offense soon after the game started, Zheng Zheng's free kick almost broke the goal, but hit the goal post and bounced out. Li Yuan's clever pass and Chen Pu's header from close range gave Taishan a 1-0 lead.
Guoan then launched a frantic counterattack, Zhang Xizhe precise long passes to tear through the Taishan defense, Jiang Xiangyou quickly inserted, Wang Dalei defense error, Guoan equalized the score. In the second half, the physical confrontation between the two sides intensified, and Maning showed 14 yellow cards and 1 red card. Although both sides had scoring chances, it ended in a 1-1 draw and went into extra time.
Penalty shootout, both sides of the first four rounds of penalties, but Guoan Jiang Xiangyou fifth round of mistakes, Taishan team Fellaini steady hit, and finally Shandong Taishan to 6-5 to beat Guoan, advancing into the quarterfinals. After the game, Taishan goalkeeper Wang Dalei said the penalty kick was the key to victory, while Guoan players shed tears after the loss. Despite their dominance, Guoan regretted not being able to reach the quarterfinals. Although Taishan did not have the advantage of home field and Maning's penalty was unfavorable, the team won the game with excellent preparation and full commitment.
Shandong Taishan's road to the semi-finals was not smooth. At the beginning of the new season, the team went through a fiasco of managerial change, Hao Wei was investigated for match-fixing and other issues, and the team was in a slump. After South Korean coach Cui Kangxi took over, the team was revitalized like a new sword, winning back-to-back matches and becoming the favorite to win the championship. Although Taishan has been questioned for the match-fixing case this season and the referee's decision was unfavorable, the team has survived the difficulties with the winning culture. So, can Taishan win the AFC Cup?
