At 4:30pm on the 19th, Beijing Guoan faced Tianjin Jinmen Tiger in the sixth round of the Chinese Super League. Despite taking the initiative on the field, Guoan failed to convert their offense into scoring, and both sides failed to break through throughout the game, resulting in a 0:0 handshake. The draw gave Guoan their first taste of a draw in the league this season, and improving the efficiency of the team's shooting has become an urgent problem.
First ever Guso afternoon showdown
This is the first time this season that Guoan has played an afternoon match in the Gusu district, and whether or not physical fitness is a constraint for Guoan has become the focus of attention. Facing the obviously inferior Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, Guoan only made two personnel adjustments, and coach Bilic's goal of taking down the opponent was very obvious. After the start of the game, Guoan dominated the field, the opponent's restrictions are also quite obvious, young He Zhuoyu in the left side of the performance of active, created several good opportunities, but failed to form a shot on goal. In the 8th minute, starting right back Jin Pengxiang went off due to injury, and 31-year-old veteran Jin Taeyeon replaced him.
Guoan failed to convert many good chances to score
A few minutes later, two strikers, Wang Ziming and Zhang Yuning, completed the "link", the latter got a good shot, but the strength was too big, the angle was too right, and finally was solved by the opposing goalkeeper Teng Shangkun. Subsequently, the Tianjin team used several counterattacks to win more than one corner kick opportunity, but they failed to convert it into an effective shot on goal. In the 35th minute, Zhang Xizhe's pass in the home half accurately found Wang Ziming, Guoan No. 20 ran all the way to the opponent's penalty area, but the shot did not hit the goal frame range, Guoan missed an opportunity to take the lead. At the end of the half, Guoan and Jinmen Tigers temporarily 0:0 to each other.
0-0 Handshake on a Hot Afternoon
In the second half of the match, Guoan did not make any personnel adjustments, but obviously raised the pace of the game, Zhang Yuning came up to complete a threatening shot, shocked the opposing goalkeeper out of a cold sweat. Soon after, it was Zhang Yuning again, who received a pass from Zhang Xizhe, and then shot left-footed, but Guoan's No. 9 shot was too strong, and the ball was far above the crossbar, so he could not hide his disappointment at losing the opportunity. Although Guoan was in full control of the game, the goal was slow to come.
Tianjin made the first adjustment in the 58th minute, replacing the team's newly introduced foreign aid, Maglo Cruz, with the intention of strengthening the offense. His first touch on the pitch was a brilliant cross and a precise pass for his teammates, but the shot was not within the goal frame. The 65th minute of the game, Bilic also made adjustments, just after the end of isolation to return to the team Bakambu and Cao Yongjing draped in the lineup, the Croatian played only two substitutes in the hands of the offensive card. It is worth mentioning that just five minutes later, Guoan once again made two substitutions, Wang Gang and U23 player Bo Yang came on the field for a last ditch effort. For the next 20 minutes or so, Guoan was unable to break down their opponents, despite being in control of the situation. The 90-minute match ended in a 0:0 draw on a hot afternoon.
investigative journalism
The test of the intensive schedule has just begun
Tianjin Jinmen Tiger really can't take it? In fact, it really didn't win against them. Guoan in this hot summer ushered in their first afternoon game in the Gusu district, the opponent despite the strength and experience are far less than their own, from the scene is also Guoan "crush" opponent, but the scoreboard on the blinding 0:0 tell us a cruel reality, that is, Guoan in this tough matchup did not wish to! The three points were not obtained as expected. Based on the result alone, one point is not particularly satisfying, but considering the hot natural conditions and the fact that the personnel is not complete, Guoan can only accept this result for the time being, because the test of the intensive schedule has just begun, and a draw is not totally unacceptable.
I'm sure many fans know what 4:30pm means, and I'm sure the relevant authorities wouldn't have arranged it if it weren't for the fact that the field conditions didn't allow it. Although the weather conditions are fair for both sides, after all, Guoan just played a bye in the pouring rain 3 days ago, the physical exertion is bound to be greater than that of their opponent, Tianjin. In terms of age structure, Yu Genwei's team is also younger, so from this aspect alone, Guoan must be the relative "loss" side. However, as Bilic said before the match, he did not carry out a wide range of rotations at the beginning, after all, facing this opponent whose strength on paper is far inferior to his own, taking three points is still the primary task.
But from the course of the game, when Guoan wasted chances again and again, they are far from this goal. Guoan although not as early as the Tianjin team personnel adjustments, but in the 70th minute in a breath to replace Bakambu and Cao Yongjing, a play two offensive cards, Bilic also do not want to just "give up" the game, we must know that the democratic Congolese have just returned to the team, to participate in the joint practice is only once only. If not as a last resort, who would send a player who has not had systematic training for more than a month? But even if Guoan No. 17 is on the stage, he is also unable to change the team's lack of offense, the ability to seize the moment shortage of reality, a few shots on goal is either flimsy, or hit the high shot, does not constitute a substantial threat, but also failed to help the team.
Bilic see in the eyes anxious in the heart, broadcast camera in the Croatian more than once and beside the fourth official communication communication to express their attitude. Occupy the advantage but can not be converted into goals, this situation on any coach will be anxious and angry. What makes him even more helpless is that, look at the bench sitting on a cadre of defenders, he really can not send on the field to complete the attack players. He had no choice but to replace Jin Taiyan, who was actually on the bench, and let Wang Gang, who had returned from injury, play as a wingback to create more opportunities. However, Guoan 27 this campaign and his side partner Li Lei, the quality of the pass is not satisfactory, the ball flying all over the sky, but it is not to the penalty area to go.
After a 90-minute onslaught, Guoan couldn't have the last laugh in a hot match, which was only the second of 10 matches in 28 days and the first of the afternoon session. There are two more kick-offs in the coming days, such as the one against Changchun Yatai in the next round, which will still be at this time of the day. The fitness challenges are only likely to become more apparent as the game progresses, and the deployment of personnel is now a problem. There are still people available at the back and up front, but looking at the midfield replacements, they are almost more than enough. It's clear that the intensive schedule has just begun to test the team, and Bilic and his men will have to grit their teeth and hang in there.
