On October 27, the 29th round of the Chinese Super League saw Zhejiang team host Shandong Taishan in their final home match of the season. The game ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, with goals from Evra and Wang Zhang for Zhejiang, while Xie Wenwen scored twice for Shandong and Huang Zhengyu deflected an own goal in stoppage time.
Both teams entered the match with little pressure in the league standings. However, Zhejiang, the sole representative of the Chinese Super League in the AFC Champions League, faced a challenging situation after recently losing to Vissel Kobe. They needed to improve their chances of progressing from the group stage. Meanwhile, Shandong Taishan not only had their own Asian commitments but also looked ahead to the FA Cup final against Shanghai Port in November, highlighting the importance of avoiding injuries while chasing victories.
Zhejiang fielded four foreign players: Lucas, Frank, Evra, and Leonardo, while Shandong started with only one foreign player, Zeka. The match sparked to life early on, with both sides showcasing a strong offensive strategy. In the 16th minute, Zeka’s impressive run drew multiple defenders, allowing him to set up Xie Wenwen, who scored a breakthrough goal against Zhejiang’s goalkeeper Zhao Bo.
Zhejiang found their footing in the 32nd minute when Evra headed in a corner from Cheng Jin to equalize. Just before halftime, they capitalized on another corner opportunity, with Wang Zhang netting a goal that put Zhejiang ahead 2-1 as the first half concluded.
As the second half commenced, Shandong brought on overseas players Kleson and Marcel, a change that paid immediate dividends. In the 47th minute, Kleson’s assist set up Peng Xinli for an easy goal, bringing Shandong level again. By the 57th minute, they struck again with a goal from Xie Wenwen, who completed his brace, giving Shandong a 3-2 lead.
Despite trailing, Zhejiang maintained their attacking momentum. In dramatic fashion during stoppage time, Huang Zhengyu inadvertently deflected a clearance into his own net, gifting Zhejiang a crucial equalizer. The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought 3-3 draw.
Post-match, Shandong head coach Choi Kang-hee expressed his disappointment, stating, “The players were very fatigued, but they gave it their all. It’s unfortunate that all our goals conceded were from set-pieces and fouls in dangerous areas, which we had emphasized before the match. We need to strengthen these aspects for our upcoming AFC Champions League games and others.”
Zhejiang’s coach Jordi was proud of his team’s efforts but shared his feelings of regret, saying, “I’m very proud of everything my team did, but the result could have been better. I feel very sorry for what could have been.”
