Shandong Taishan doubles up Incheon United in AFC Champions League title twist and turn
In the fourth round of the AFC Champions League group stage, Shandong Taishan defeated Incheon United 3-1 at home, successfully realizing their first double kill against a Korean team. Currently, Taishan has nine points with three wins and one loss, and still has hopes of advancing to the knockout stage. Taesan's recent two consecutive victories and double killings have undoubtedly brought a huge butterfly effect to the Chinese Super League.
Looking back at this season's Chinese Super League, Shanghai Port seems to have won the title on the shoulders of Shandong Taishan. Especially in the penultimate round of the Battle of Heavenly Mountain, the two sides fought to a 1-1 draw due to red and yellow card suspensions, and Shanghai Port thus locked up the title ahead of schedule. However, Shanghai Port was unexpectedly eliminated by Thailand before the AFC Champions League play-offs.
Now, Baton Rouge United, the team that eliminated Shanghai Port, has lost all four of its matches in the AFC Champions League and has left the tournament early. The fact that such a team was able to eliminate Shanghai Port and the Chinese Super League champion shows that Shanghai Port was not unable to defeat their opponents, but chose to give up the AFC Champions League. Such a decision is undoubtedly a great disservice to Chinese fans.
Shandong Taishan's group stage double performance in the AFC Champions League has completely punctured Shanghai Port's lie of abandoning the AFC Champions League. In order to retain their Super League status, they even considered voluntarily giving up the intercontinental tournament. This kind of self-destructive team is destined to leave a mark of shame in the history of the Chinese Super League.
Of course, some fans have pointed out that even the most loyal fans can't stand the humiliation of the team. In the latest national team roster, Shanghai Port has become a big player for internationals, but some believe that veterans of the national team who don't fit in were accidentally selected.
For Chinese Super League teams, internal sweeps don't bring real glory. Even if they are as good as they look in the Chinese Super League, the fact that they can't even advance to the play-offs in the AFC Champions League makes such a Chinese Super League title seem insignificant. In the minds of most Chinese Super League fans, the AFC Champions League participants, including Zhejiang and Wuhan Sanzhen, deserve respect. And Shanghai Port's lies were eventually exposed.
