Han Jiaqi has become the patron saint of Guoan in the Chinese Super League, playing five rounds of matches with remarkable consistency. He made three shutouts, especially in the matches with Shandong Taishan and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, Han Jiaqi repeatedly made thrilling saves to keep Guoan's goal intact, helping the team to beat their opponents with a score of 2-0.
In contrast, Zhang Yuan's playing time this season has been drastically reduced, accumulating 282 minutes in only 11 games. Facing the challenge of the Jinmen Tigers, Guoan's back Li Ke left the field with an injury, and Zhang Yuan stepped up to replace him. He was not only involved in planning Guoan's first goal, but also scored the winning goal at the end of the game, in the last moment of extra time, to help the team lock up a 2-0 victory. This outstanding performance won the praise of the famous manager Ivanovic, and was included in the preliminary 55-player list of the national football team.
It is worth mentioning that during the training period of the national football team, Ivankovic also paid special attention to former Guoan player Hou Yongyong. Since naturalization and joining Guoan in 2019, Hou Yongyong has not had many chances to play due to a knee injury, despite his excellent skills and awareness.
At the beginning of last year, Hou Yongyong's contract with Guoan expired and was not renewed, and he moved to the Norwegian League's Lanheim team. This season, he has been in great form, scoring 11 goals and contributing 5 assists in 15 league games. This outstanding performance attracted the attention of the national soccer team's head coach, Ivankovic, and was successfully selected for the national team.
It is reported that the in-form Ekerson will miss the latest edition of the national team, and Hou Yongyong will take his place as the new naturalized player of the national football team. Meanwhile, Chengdu Rongcheng's Wei Shihao will also miss out due to his FA ban. However, with his teammate Hu Huotao making his debut in the national team, Rongcheng's international squad has not actually been reduced.
According to reliable sources, the national football team will reorganize the team after the quarter-finals of the AFC Cup. By then, the final list for the 18-team tournament will be revealed. Whether the players can continue to represent the national football team will depend on their performance in the league and national team training ......
