Mitrice's last-minute winner! The "youthful" lineup narrowly defeats San Zhen, and Zhejiang still needs to improve.

Written by / Zuo Rui With Mitrice's goal in the dying moments, Zhejiang Green City edged out Wuhan San Zhen 3-2 at home. While head coach Kaneda's grand vision of rejuvenation was impressive, with a rollercoaster of goals, the outcome was thrilling. Yet, in the presence of emerging talents and good cards in hand, how to consolidate resources and manage the game has turned into a puzzle for Zhejiang's progression.

In the first leg of the third round, Zhejiang defeated their opponents 4-0 away, but this opponent is no longer the same as the one they faced in the first half of the season. Since Deng Zhuoxiang took charge, Wuhan San Zhen has undergone a transformation. Therefore, Kaneda hopes to "make the greatest effort to secure the victory" in the second encounter between the two sides.

Despite Kaneda's cautious remarks before the match, his choices were quite bold. With two young main center-backs, Liu Haofan and Wang Shiqin, both suspended, Kaneda started the even younger Zhang Aihui and veteran Liang Nuo Heng, forming a three-center-back setup with on-field captain Lucas. The 20-year-old Zhang Aihui was just promoted to the first team from the youth squad ten days ago, with zero league experience and no transitional appearances. Zhang's debut, even within the context of Zhejiang FC's youth strategy, is a rare personnel decision.

Beyond significant adjustments in the defense, there were also major changes in the midfield and forward positions. Bao Shengxin and Li Tixiang played as double defensive midfielders, but Tao Qianglong's strong attacking attributes made it difficult for him to fulfill the wing-back role like Sun Guowen. Kaneda's usual 5-2-3 formation resembled more of a 3-4-3, with the three forwards being Mitrice, Wang Yudong, and Ousou.

Before the match, regarding the positional changes caused by the new foreign signings Mitrice and Yago, Wang Yudong mentioned that both foreign players are very strong, and he can play on both sides, utilizing his strengths on the right. However, from his positioning after coming on, Wang Yudong seemed to be utilized more as a center forward.

In addition to newcomer Zhang Aihui, more than half of the players who usually start had limited opportunities, and the forward players' movements appeared too erratic, making it difficult to create effective attacks. In the 19th minute, Ousou crossed from the left, and Wang Yudong's follow-up shot found the net, but VAR intervened and ruled the goal offside due to a foul before the pass. Even more concerning was that Bao Shengxin, who had been performing well recently, was injured in the 35th minute, and Qian Jie replaced him in the defensive midfield position.

In the 37th minute, the visiting team took advantage of a set piece opportunity to execute a series of aerial passes. After a few deflections, Shao Er's shot was deflected into his own net by Liang Nuo Heng. This own goal was also subject to video review and was ultimately deemed valid, putting the home team down 0-1. Throughout the first half, Zhejiang's most threatening attack came from Qian Jie's long-range shot.

The disjointed forward line was ineffective, and the fragmented match was dull. The highlight of the first half came from Zhang Aihui, who, despite lacking physicality and speed against Palacios, consistently dared to challenge and disrupted the opponent's breakthroughs.

In the second half, Yago replaced Tao Qianglong, and with the traditional center forward on the field, Wang Yudong became a free man in the front line. Mitrice and Ousou attacked from both wings, leading to an improvement in the home team's offense. In the 50th minute, Li Tixiang took a corner kick, and Lucas headed in to equalize the score. The 1-1 score reinvigorated the 26,774 spectators and marked the beginning of a goal fest in the second half.

In the 63rd minute, Ousou forced a cross from the right, Yago failed to reach the near post, but Wang Yudong scored with a header at the back post, marking his 10th goal of the season in the Chinese Super League. The score reversed to 2-1 in favor of the home team. Just six minutes later, the visiting team crossed from an unguarded left side, and goalkeeper Zhao Bo misjudged the ball, allowing Park Ji-soo to head it into an empty net, equalizing at 2-2!

In the 78th minute, Kaneda substituted Frank for the fatigued Wang Yudong in an attempt to boost the offense. The climax came during stoppage time, in the 94th minute, when Zhao Bo saved a one-on-one shot from the opponent, preventing a potential home defeat. In the 98th minute, Frank distributed the ball from midfield, and Mitrice drove into the penalty area, skillfully flicking the ball past the defender. The shot struck the far post and bounced into the net, making it 3-2, allowing Zhejiang to regain the lead! In the dying moments, Zhao Bo once again blocked an opponent's shot, securing all three points for the team.

In the post-match press conference, Kaneda acknowledged that the opponent played very tenaciously and that his team did not control the game's pace as effectively as before. "All the goals conceded were due to a loss of control over the rhythm on the field," he stated. He noted that through the interplay between Wang Yudong and Mitrice, they created numerous attacking opportunities, but the team still needed to improve their finishing ability.

Kaneda also praised Zhang Aihui's performance from the National Games to the Chinese Super League, expressing his willingness to give opportunities to promising young players. "I believe he has the strength for the first team, and he has proven that." Regarding Bao Shengxin, who was substituted early, he expressed confidence in the young midfielder's bright future. "Thanks to the club's youth training, which laid a solid foundation, the rich talent pool has given me many options. I hope Bao Shengxin can quickly return to training and matches."