After 96 minutes of nerve-wracking action, Zhejiang Team finally received a much-needed boost

By Zuo Rui After taking a two-goal lead at home, Zhejiang Club Greentown allowed the visitors to pull level with two quick strikes. They rallied once more, and in the 96th minute, substitute Tao Qianglong netted a dramatic winner, giving them a 3-2 triumph over Qingdao Hainiu. With the three points in hand, head coach Ross Aloisi now faces a fierce challenge in Chongqing this Saturday.

Before the match, Ross stated: "The typhoon delay gave us two extra days to prepare, and the team's training quality and effectiveness this week were very good. I hope the team can show the same fight and determination as they did in the last away match against Shenhua." Looking at the game, the training effects were not clearly visible, but at least in terms of fighting spirit, the team did not let him down.

At kickoff, Zhejiang lined up with Liu Haofan and Lucas as center-backs, Sun Guowen and Zhang Aihui on the left and right flanks, with a midfield of Park Jin-seop, Cheng Jin, Tolic, and Mitrice. The forwards were Wang Yudong and Fang Hao. However, in attack they shifted to a 4-2-3-1, with Wang Yudong as the lone striker; in defense they became a 5-4-1, with Fang Hao dropping back and Zhang Aihui moving centrally to form a three-man backline. The club's newly signed striking weapon, Felipe Cardoso, started on the bench.

In the 6th minute, Mitrice drove down the left flank with the help of teammates all the way to the byline, showcasing his extraordinary individual ability. His performance only improved from there. He broke through the opponent's defense again and delivered a precise cross to an empty space in the box, but Wang Yudong's volley lacked power and accuracy, and was collected by the opposing goalkeeper.

In the 23rd minute, Mitrice initiated an attack from midfield. Wang Yudong received his ground through ball, shook off his marker, and chipped a brilliant lofted pass to the heart of the box. Mitrice, without needing to jump, nodded the ball gently into the net. 1-0, the home team took the lead for the first time in three matches.

At halftime, Zhejiang held a 1-0 lead and had also drawn yellow cards for both of the opponent's center-backs. However, there were several defensive vulnerabilities on their own side, and the visitors had also created seven shots on goal. The energetic Fang Hao was active in both attack and defense, but seemed uncomfortable in his new role, failing to provide effective support at either end.

Perhaps realizing that the training drills did not match the actual match expectations, Ross replaced Fang Hao with Xu Junchi right at the start of the second half. This move improved defensive stability to some extent, but sacrificed tactical flexibility. In the 49th minute, Mitrice advanced with the ball in the attacking third and calmly laid it off. Tolic used his right foot to cut past a defender and slammed a left-footed shot into the top corner. 2-0!

In the 57th minute, the away team's Angelkovic pulled one back with a shot inside the box. In the 64th minute, Hainiu's new foreign signing Tufegdzic was dragged down in the penalty area by Zhang Aihui. After a VAR review and confirmation, Ezhuma converted the penalty. 2-2! The injured Tufegdzic and the error-prone Zhang Aihui then left the pitch.

After squandering a two-goal lead, chants of "sack the coach" grew louder and louder in the stands of Huanglong Sports Center. However, Ross appeared unflustered, sticking to his plan and trying to change the course of the game through substitutions and tactical adjustments. While replacing Fang Hao was an active adjustment, swapping Zhang Aihui for Wang Yang seemed more like a punishment.

In the 75th minute, Park Jin-seop met a Mitrice cross and poked the ball into the net, but VAR ruled it offside. In the 80th minute, the home side unveiled their new trump card, Cardoso, wearing the number 27 jersey, coming on. In the 85th minute, Tao Qianglong replaced the injured Liu Haofan, as Ross went all-in to reclaim the three points.

During stoppage time, Zhejiang threw everything forward. Wang Yudong had several chances, but headed one over and saw a one-on-one chance cleared. In the 96th minute, Wang Yudong crossed from the right — substitute Wang Yang headed the ball across the goalmouth, and super-sub Tao Qianglong swept it home to seal the win.

After the match, Ross praised the team's performance over the last two rounds and expressed delight that the players showed the same fighting spirit and determination. "After taking a 2-0 lead, we didn't capitalize on our attacking play when in possession," he said. He also commended Park Jin-seop's contributions at both ends of the pitch and the "decisive role" of the substitutes.

Regarding the fans' dissatisfaction when the score was 2-2, Ross said it was difficult for him to comment. On the use of Cardoso, he explained that the main consideration was the new signing's threat in the box and his aerial ability. "Bringing him on was a bit risky, since he hasn't played for a while. According to the medical team's assessment, the risk of him playing 10 to 15 minutes is relatively low."

Ross said that sending Tao Qianglong on was because the team needed to regain the lead in the final stages, and the formation shift to 4-2-4 required more attacking players. "Every player wants to get playing time, and they fully understand how to contribute the most to the team. I hope Tao Qianglong can reach double figures in goals this year."

Tolic, who scored the team's second goal, felt that the 3-2 victory was hard-earned, noting that every opponent in the Chinese Super League is tough, even when you are leading by two goals. "We barely managed to secure the win in the end." No matter how difficult this victory was, heading into the away match in Chongqing with a win is like a timely rain and a shot in the arm for both Ross and Zhejiang Team.