After Drawing with Beijing Guoan in Round 26, Shanghai Port Remain Unbeaten in Seven Matches; Key Factor Is the Strong Condition of Their Five Foreign Players

The Beijing- Shanghai clash in the 26th round of the Chinese Super League ended in a 0-0 draw. After the match, some fans said that Beijing Guoan earning one point could also be considered a victory, because they only arranged one foreign player, Ramos, for this match, while Shanghai Port started with five foreign players. They also had Jiang Guangtai, Wu Lei, and Yan Junling, all of whom were once key figures for the national team.

The author believes that although a depleted Beijing Guoan side earned one point at Shanghai Port's home ground, they did not defeat Shanghai Port, and Port remain strong. Since their loss to Shandong Taishan on August 1, they have gone unbeaten for seven matches during this period. The key factor is still that their five foreign players are in excellent condition. Statistics do not lie; it is false data that deceives people.

On August 9, Chongqing Tongliang Dragon lost 2-3 to Shanghai Port at home; on August 14, Wuhan Three Towns lost 2-3 to Shanghai Port at home; on August 19, Shanghai Port drew 1-1 with Dalian Yingbo at home, won 2-1 against Qingdao Hainiu at home, won 1-0 away against Shenzhen, defeated Shandong Taishan 3-0 away in the FA Cup, and drew with Beijing Guoan in the September league match. Looking at the 90-minute performance overall, Shanghai Port maintained the initiative and an advantageous rhythm throughout. From Yan Junling's performance, it can be seen that Beijing Guoan did not create enough pressure on the opposing goalkeeper.

After the league ends, Shanghai Port will have a 10-day rest period to prepare for the first round of the AFC Champions League Elite League on September 15, when they will challenge Ratchaburi. Last season, Shanghai Port recorded four draws and four losses in eight Elite League matches because they did not have strong stars such as Oscar and Vargas. During this summer transfer window, they signed two foreign players for the midfield and defense, Jaume Grau and Miguel Campos, allowing them to use seven foreign players in their AFC Champions League schedule.

The author believes that besides the seven-match unbeaten run, the more important factor for Shanghai Port is that their five foreign players remain in good condition. Take Shenhua for example: Mineiro finally recovered from injury but then received a red card and was suspended for three matches. Beijing Guoan's situation was even worse. At the start of the second half of the season, they were able to field five foreign players, but after playing two matches, Spajic became unavailable, followed by Conte, and then Davan was suspended for seven matches. Therefore, ensuring that five foreign players are available is not an easy task.

In the new AFC Champions League season, Shanghai Port's biggest advantage is that they have avoided all Japanese club opponents. Their opponents are basically teams built around players from Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. If they still cannot defeat such opponents, there is really no solution.