Many soccer fans are convinced that Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua will be expected to compete on the final stage.
On the night of August 31st, the dust settled on the top four teams of the Chinese Football Association Cup. In the upcoming semifinals, Shandong Taishan will challenge Dalian Ren, while Shanghai Shenhua will face Qingdao Hainiu directly. Many soccer fans predicted that Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua are expected to present another exciting chapter of Shanghai-Lu duel in the 2019 AFC Cup final.
Beijing Guoan was defeated by Shandong Taishan on penalties at home, regretting to stop the quarter-finals of the AFC Cup.
Beijing Guoan hosted Shandong Taishan in the quarterfinals of the Chinese Football Association Cup (CFA Cup). In the first half, Shandong Taishan's foreigner Moises hit the goal post with a free kick, and Chen Pu scored with a follow-up shot; Beijing Guoan responded quickly with a long pass from Zhang Xizhe to Jiang Xiangyou. Later, Taishan striker Cressan scored, but the referee ruled that the goal was offside.
After 90 minutes of intense fighting, the two teams were tied 1-1 and went into overtime. Due to the lack of goal scoring by both teams, the game turned into a penalty shootout amidst constant foul play. With Guoan's foreign aid Jiang Xiangyou on the field in the fifth round, Shandong Taishan firmly put in the fifth penalty kick, and finally advanced to the away game with a total score of 6-5. Next up, Shandong Taishan will meet their previously advanced opponents Dalian Ren.
In the evening of the same day, Qingdao Sea Cowboys defeated Nantong Zhiyun 3-0 on the road and successfully advanced to the quarterfinals. The Manatees will host Shanghai Shenhua in the semifinals.
Shanghai Shenhua and Dalian Ren were the first to advance to the semifinals after defeating their opponents in the first two rounds. Shanghai Shenhua faced Chongqing Tongliang Dragons, the dark horse of this season's F.A.C. Cup, who remained undefeated for 16 rounds in the China B League. With the support of their home fans, Chongqing Tongliang Dragons played aggressively, outshooting Shenhua in both shots and offense.
However, the experienced Shenhua had the last laugh, with Han Chao and Fernando leading 2-0 at half-time. The stoppage in the last 8 of the AFC Cup left Chongqing Tongliang Dragons slightly regretful. After the match, many players were in tears. Team coach Linlin said, "We returned to the training ground and continued to work hard. I saw many young players shedding tears, but they still have a lot of room for improvement. I hope we work together to witness Shanghai Shenhua's glory in the league again in the coming years."
