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Breaking the 24-year curse at the Workers' Stadium, Shenhua has become a stronger version of itself.


Special Contributor / Gan Hui The 24-year curse on Shanghai Shenhua has finally been lifted. On the evening of the 19th, in the highly anticipated "Beijing-Shanghai Battle" of this round of the Chinese Super League, Shenhua defeated Beijing Guoan, who had the same points prior to the match, with a score of 3-1, thanks to goals from new foreign player Asu'e and two veterans, Wu Xi and Yu Hanchao. After the 17th round of the league, Shenhua stands alone at the top of the points table.


Previously, Shenhua had suffered 12 consecutive defeats at the Workers' Stadium, with their last league victory dating back to the 2001 Jia A period. The Workers' Stadium had been a nightmare for Shenhua. Now, Shenhua has successfully overcome this hurdle, reclaiming the top position in the league while also becoming a stronger team.



After Mineiro's serious injury, Shenhua quickly brought in Asu'e. This "Beijing-Shanghai Battle" marked Asu'e's debut in an official match since joining Shenhua, and he proved to be the team's secret weapon.


In the 7th minute, the "secret weapon" showcased his power, delivering a decisive blow to the opponent. Gao Tianyi sent a precise cross from the wing, and Asu'e displayed his excellent heading ability, scoring with a header in the box and opening the door to victory for Shenhua.



When introducing his characteristics, Asu'e mentioned, "During this period, I have been quickly integrating into the team's tactical system. My heading is indeed quite good, but I hope to contribute not only in attack but also in defense." In a warm-up match against Qingdao Hainiu during the break, Asu'e scored twice with headers. In this official match, Asu'e once again demonstrated his aerial prowess, which will become a new weapon for Shenhua in the second half of the league season.


After the match, Slutskiy commented on Asu'e, saying, "His performance in this match was outstanding, especially in the first half when he scored a very crucial goal. I believe his current physical condition might be suitable for about 60 minutes of play, and I hope he can extend his playing time in future matches. I cannot say I have a deep understanding of his potential yet, as I have only seen him through a short training period, so my impressions are somewhat superficial. At the same time, I believe this player is relatively young and has greater potential to prove his abilities in the future."




Before the match, both Slutskiy and Guoan's head coach Setien emphasized the importance of details, believing that they would determine the course of the game.


From the match, it was clear that Shenhua was the better-prepared and detail-oriented side. In this match, Beijing Guoan was eager to leverage their home advantage to defeat Shenhua and extend their lead in the points table. Slutskiy anticipated that the opponent would be anxious to attack and push their formation forward, so Shenhua decisively implemented a strategy to exploit the gaps behind Guoan's defense, achieving excellent results. In the 21st minute, Manafa initiated a long pass from the back, Wu Xi held off Spajić and shot, the ball hit the post and bounced into the net, expanding the score to 2-0. Besides Wu Xi's goal, Shenhua created several opportunities by attacking behind the opponent's defense.



After Gujia scored directly from a free kick to pull one back, Guoan controlled the midfield, and Shenhua found themselves relatively passive. At this point, Slutskiy changed his usual substitution habits, making timely and decisive adjustments. At halftime, he substituted Amadou and Xu Haoyang, switching to a double defensive midfield setup, with Wu Xi and Xu Haoyang playing on the left and right flanks respectively, strengthening protection on both wings. Subsequently, the substitutions of Yu Hanchao and Yang Zexiang were also timely.


Moreover, substitute Yu Hanchao delivered a remarkable performance. In the 7th minute of stoppage time, under immense pressure on Shenhua's defense, Yu Hanchao scored a goal that sealed the match. He dribbled into the left side of the box and shot with his left foot, expanding the score to 3-1, handing Guoan their first defeat of the season. Before this, Guoan had maintained an unbeaten record with 11 wins and 5 draws in the league.



After the match, Slutskiy summarized, "I believe the best player of the match should be our Wu Xi. Regarding this match, we controlled the game, especially in the first half, where we created many excellent opportunities. Yang Haoyu had a chance to extend the lead, and Teixeira also had an opportunity to do so. Of course, the opponent created some chances through set pieces, and they scored one through individual skill. In the second half, we adjusted our formation appropriately, pulling back a bit and using counterattacks to engage with the opponent, while also creating some opportunities. This match was very challenging, and both sides were evenly matched, but I believe we deserved the victory."


For Shenhua, this was not just a simple victory. The history of Shenhua winning at the Workers' Stadium dates back to the 2001 Jia A league, when they defeated Guoan 3-1 at the Workers' Stadium. Moreover, it has been since the 2009 season that they earned points at the Workers' Stadium. Therefore, this victory holds special significance for Shenhua, marking the breaking of the curse.


Slutskiy stated, "I think if we talk about mentality, it is indeed very challenging for us, and there isn't much we can do to prepare the athletes. In fact, this confidence is built on each match, as they gradually accumulate confidence through victories. We can also give an example: our away match against Haigang in the FA Cup was a particularly good illustration. We scored, Haigang equalized, then we took the lead again, Haigang equalized once more, and then we took the lead again. Through such matches, the athletes' confidence can be genuinely built up." With the rewriting of awkward histories, Shenhua is becoming stronger and stronger, which is also a process of growth and maturation for a team.


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