In a hotly contested international friendly, 29-year-old Dalian defender Sun Guowen started a new chapter in his national team career by coming on as a substitute for Deng Hanwen. Sun was active on the right side of the field in the match, a tactical choice that was very different from his previous club performances. Coach Jankovic expects him to be more active in the offense. In stoppage time, Sun's flexibility finally paid off, helping Barton score a crucial goal, which capped off his first assist of his national team career.
Looking back at Sun Guowen's life trajectory, the 1993-born 1.82-meter center back started out in the Dalian Shide youth team, was promoted to the first team in 2011, and then merged into Dalian Albin with Shide in 2013 until last season. He was a regular in the National Youth and Olympic teams, and wore No. 7 at the Incheon Asian Games, highlighting his fledgling attacking talent. However, Sun Guowen's competition with many foreigners and veterans at the wing position left him with few appearances in the early part of his career, and his development was limited as a result. It wasn't until the second half of the 2019 season, when he was converted into a wingback under the tutelage of Coach Rafa Benitez, that he gradually gained a foothold in the Chinese Super League. Last season, Sun Guowen had a full-blown career. He contributed 2 goals and 3 assists in 26 appearances in the Chinese Super League, making him one of the best wing-backs in the country, which was a major reason why he was selected for the national team roster. At the age of 30, Sun Guowen's debut with the national team is a "late bloomer". Personally, being selected for the national team is both an incentive and recognition, as well as a motivation to keep working hard in the future. But in the new season, Sun Guowen said goodbye to the Dalian people who have been playing for many years, and is about to announce that he will join the Chinese Super League giants Shandong Taishan. Facing a new challenge, he will not only have to adapt to the new environment, but also compete with many outstanding players in the team. We expect him to quickly integrate into the new team, become a mainstay of Taishan, and continue to shine in the Chinese Super League, so that he can secure a place in the national team.
