Before the arrival of the last AFC Champions League group stage, the overall performance of Shandong Taishan youngsters can give high scores. Their AFC Champions League journey is low and high, the first two games against Daegu FC and Urawa Red Diamond failed to enter the role of consecutive defeats, their back-to-back two battle Lion City sailors suddenly emerged, quickly completed the scoring, goal goals, the morale of the whole team is high, the fifth battle, although 0-4 by Daegu FC cruel double kill, but the team momentum is not reduced, the end of the battle again Urawa Red Diamonds, Yu Yuanwei clearly stated before the game: send the strongest lineup, strive for the best result.
(Wishes are not always fulfilled)
However, the 90 minutes of the second game against Urawa Red Diamonds became the worst of all six group games of the Taishan Elite Team, in addition to the first 10 minutes of the opening game, they could still attack and defend with the opponent, the next 80 minutes were basically held down and rubbed, and the whole game did not organize a threatening attack, especially after the heavy rain fell shortly after the opening half of the second half, the strength was crushed and the serious lack of rain combat experience, playing completely without discipline, not only advancing the opponent's half, Even extending the defensive zone beyond the restricted area of the side has become a luxury. In the end, I only lost 0-5, which was already very lucky.
In fact, in theory, Yu Yuanwei's pre-game rhetoric has the possibility of realization. It's not that they have to take points or goals from Urawa Red Diamonds, who are more powerful than the Lion City sailors, but after the first five rounds of competition, it seems reasonable that the confident and momentum youngsters will play a better content and ending than when they played the same opponent in the first game. What's more, before the game, Urawa Red Diamonds have secured the right to qualify from the group, the foreign aid collective rotation of this campaign, most of the local main forces are also hanging high free cards, the starting is almost all substitutes, it can be seen that the opponent does not want to stare at The height of Tarzan, and win without losing face.
(Substitutes cherish playing opportunities more than the main players)
Unexpectedly, this game actually showed an incredible one-sidedness, Urawa Red Diamonds' second-line lineup occupied an absolute advantage from beginning to end, the Japanese team's delicate technology, high-level pressing and positive characteristics were fully exerted, the Taishan youngster who was passively beaten for 80 minutes was tired of defense, the first five games in the offensive end of the famous Yi Xianlong, Lu Yongtao, Baihe Lamu, Liu Guobao, live close-up shots rarely aimed at them once, all because of fouls when destroying the opponent's attack in the half of the side, The team received two yellow cards by double strikers Baiheram and Liu Guobao – that is, they were simply unable to perform the duties of attacking players.
Objectively, the gap between the main force and the substitutes of the Taishan Youth Army is large, the main lineup has played to the sixth game, the physical fitness has become the end of the crossbow, and the Urawa Red Diamonds second-tier players have limited playing time in the front game, the physical reserves are better, and the opportunity to appear is inevitably strong, more impactful and desire to win than the main players. If the 1 draw and 1 loss against the Lion City Sailors and two goals made the Taishan Elite team members overestimate themselves while confidently bursting, and the expectations on the social platform soared, then the defeat of Urawa Red Diamonds helped everyone calm down and return to reality.
(May Chinese football remember them)
The biggest gain of the Taishan Youth Army's expedition this time is obviously not at the technical and tactical level, but when it is destined to face the cruel reality of hitting the stone with pebbles, it does not succumb to the arrangement of fate with a "formality" mentality. One of the words that Yu Yuanwei emphasized most in his pre- and post-match press conferences was "courage." Although the youngsters continued the precious "courage" of five games and were doused by a heavy rain in the last 90 minutes, their young and brave faces will remain in the memory of Chinese football.