Song Long’s goal helps Shandong Taishan break deadlock Xinhua News Agency
To the surprise of many people, the 2022 Chinese Football Association Cup final is not another duel between Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Seaport. On the afternoon of January 11, Shandong Taishan defeated Shanghai Shenhua 2-0 and advanced to the FA Cup final first. In the next semi-final, the Zhejiang team eliminated Shanghai Haigang in a penalty shootout, making it to the FA Cup final for the first time in team history.
On the night of June 3, 2022, the opening game of the 2022 Super League season started at Wuyuanhe Stadium in Haikou. In that game, Shandong Taishan defeated the Zhejiang team 1-0 and got off to a good start. At 15:30 on January 15, the 2022 Chinese football season will be “delayed ending” at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center. In the pinnacle battle of the FA Cup this season, the opponents are also Shandong Taishan and Zhejiang. I wonder if Shandong Taishan can have the last laugh in this duel?
Fighting hard to advance to Shandong Taishan suffered a lot
“It’s not easy for the team to go all the way to the present. To enter the semi-finals of the FA Cup, it should be said that the task has been basically completed, and then the FA Cup can be completed in full. Don’t lose too ugly, just complete the task.” Shanghai Shenhua and Shandong Before the start of the semi-finals in Taishan, Shanghai Shenhua coach Wu Jingui said very low-key that the game should be won if it loses less.
It should be said that the young people of Shanghai Shenhua overfulfilled the task. In this campaign, Wu Jingui has 6 U21 players and 1 U23 player in the starting lineup. But it was these young people who caused a lot of trouble for Shandong Taishan, which started the battle with double foreign aid. In the first half of the game, the most threatening attack of the two teams came from Shanghai Shenhua. In the 27th minute of the game, Zhou Junchen swayed away the defensive player in the penalty area of Shandong Taishan and took a strong shot. The shot was rejected by the goal crossbar, and Shandong Taishan escaped.
In the second half of the game, after Shandong Taishan coach Hao Wei made continuous personnel adjustments, the team’s offense gradually improved. In the 77th minute of the game, Qi Tianyu, who came off the bench, sent an assist, and Song Long scored a goal to help the team break the deadlock. Six minutes later, Moises made a point shot, sealing the victory for Shandong Taishan. At the post-match press conference, Wu Jingui fully affirmed the performance of the players on the field: “There is indeed a certain gap between us and our opponents in terms of overall strength, but our players have shown the spirit of daring to fight, dare to take the ball, and dare to fight in the game. , I am gratified by the performance of the players. I am very satisfied that the young players were able to stick to the defense for more than 70 minutes against such a strong opponent and created many opportunities.”
Moises, who was elected the best player of the game after the game, said in an interview: “Facing any professional team that retreats across the board, the game will be difficult, but we are very patient and did a good job. Scoring goals and winning in the end.”
After a tough battle, Shandong Taishan achieved the feat of reaching the FA Cup finals for five consecutive seasons. In this game against Shanghai Shenhua, Shandong Taishan also paid a very heavy price. In the 79th minute of the game, Cressan, who had just returned from injury, received a red card for his irrational behavior and will miss the FA Cup final. This is undoubtedly a great loss for Shandong Taishan. Hao Wei also bluntly said at the post-match press conference that Cresan’s move was too impulsive: “We will communicate with him in time when we go back. He really shouldn’t have this kind of behavior on the court.” But Hao Wei also said that although the team There are not many people available on the offensive end, but the coaching staff will work hard to find a corresponding solution.
Zhejiang team made history with a penalty kick
In another FA Cup semi-final later in the day, the Zhejiang team defeated Shanghai Haigang in a penalty shootout and advanced to the FA Cup final for the first time in team history. Although, from the perspective of strength on paper, Shanghai Seaport is the more dominant side, but Zhejiang team’s elimination of Shanghai Seaport can hardly be called an upset. You know, in the two clashes in the Chinese Super League this season, the Zhejiang team had one win and one tie, giving them an advantage.
When Mu Xiekui helped the Zhejiang team advance to the final with a scoop penalty kick, the Zhejiang team coach and his own fans in the stands began to celebrate with emotion. The team coach Jody said after the game that the team can go further, relying on their own efforts: “We played the team’s tactics for most of the game, which also helped us win the game. .Our goalkeeper coach also did a lot of analysis on penalty kicks, including pre-match preparations, etc. All the points we can control have been done well, so we have luck in the end.”
January 14th is the 25th birthday of the Zhejiang team. The general of the Zhejiang team who reached the FA Cup final undoubtedly looks forward to presenting the club with a championship trophy. Frank, the captain of the Zhejiang team, who returned to the team before the battle with Shanghai Harbor, was elected the best player of the game. In an interview after the game, Frank said: “The opponent Shandong Taishan in the final is a very powerful team, and the game is destined to be very difficult. But just like today, we will fight to the end every minute of the game. Fight to win the last trophy.”
But Shandong Taishan general is also full of desire for the FA Cup championship trophy. Shandong Taishan, which has won the FA Cup championship trophy seven times, is the team that has won the most championships in the history of the FA Cup, and can be called the true “king of the cup” in Chinese football. This Sunday, General Shandong Taishan will launch an impact on the 8th FA Cup championship trophy in team history. After the FA Cup semi-finals ended, many Shandong Taishan fans had booked their tickets to Suzhou immediately, ready to go to the scene to cheer for the team. Looking forward to, Shandong Taishan can achieve the feat of three consecutive championships amidst the cheers of the fans, and draw a successful conclusion to the 2022 season. (Jinan Times New Yellow River client reporter Yao Zheng)