Tactical matchup: A review of the first half of the Super Cup Shanghai derby
In the opening three axes, Shenhua fell into passivity.
On February 25, Beijing time, the first half of the Super Cup Shanghai Derby ended, and Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai Port fought 0-0. In the early days, Shanghai Shenhua showed the ambition of the opening three-board axe, but in the following games, they gradually fell into passivity. When analysing the first half of the game, we found that Shenhua was more on the defensive, while the Harbour team took the initiative on the field.
Wu Lei's stealth and harbor offense are like last year's Chinese Super League.
After the first half, one wondered why Shanghai Port failed to convert their dominance into goals. The key lies in the ability of the Shanghai Port striker players, especially the half-time performance of local striker Wu Lei. His failure to score for the Harbour team left the team slightly lacking in attack. This situation is reminiscent of last year's Chinese Super League, and the way the Harbour team played did not seem to be much different from what it used to be.
Muscat: Enforcement controversy and the "performance" of the Chinese Super League
Harbour head coach Muscat was one of the highlights of the first half, with his appearances significantly more frequent than Shenhua's head coach. Muscat not only often signaled to the referee, but also expressed dissatisfaction with the referee Li Haixin's enforcement performance during the game. On the pitch, the Harbour players frequently raised their hands to remind the referee, as if the fans were returning to last season's Chinese Super League. Even Muscat expressed his displeasure with the referee's enforcement, which is not common in the J-League. The show may seem unfamiliar to Super League fans, but Muscat learned quite quickly in the Super League.
Learn quickly, but have questionable ability to adjust.
Muscat's enforcement controversy also affected the Harbour players, and in the 55th minute of the game, due to a mistake between the national goalkeeper Yan Junling and the Harbour defenders, the Shenhua team rewrote the score with a corner kick. Whether this mistake is related to Muscat's ** on the sidelines has become a question worth pondering. Muscat continued to express his displeasure to the referee at the end of the game, which also raised questions about how he would adjust his lineup next.
Personal opinion: Is Muscat's controversy a source of motivation or a cost of distraction for the team?
On a personal note, Muscat's frequent controversies have brought attention to the team to some extent, but can also be the price of distraction. He learns quickly, but whether he can quickly adapt to the refereeing and enforcement of the Chinese Super League is a question that will take time to test. The team needs to focus on how to stay calm in the midst of controversy and not get lost in the mood swings on the sidelines.
Stats & Case Studies: Corners rewrite scores, and adjusting lineups is key
In the 55th minute of the game, the Shenhua team rewrote the score through a corner kick, and whether this goal was related to the controversy of the Harbour team on the sidelines is worth in-depth analysis. Changing the line-up played a decisive role in changing the trend of the game. The stats show that the Harbour team did not adjust quickly after the mistake, while the Shenhua team seized the opportunity to change the situation of the game. This case shows that in the heat of the game, quick decisions to adjust the lineup are crucial.
Overall, the first half of the Super Cup Shanghai derby was tense and full of suspense. Muscat's controversial behavior has attracted attention, and Wu Lei's stealth performance has also made people think. At key moments in the game, the data and case studies showed that changing the lineup played a crucial role in achieving victory. It will be interesting to see if Muscat can find a balance in the controversy and if the Harbour team can make effective adjustments to overtake the score in the second half.