Victory Kobe 2:0 Suwon Samsung.
A slightly boring AFC group match between the Japanese team and the South Korean team became the focus of attention of Chinese fans on the night of the 4th.
The process of the game is not the focus, the important thing is the result.
Presumably, the soldiers of Guangzhou Evergrande will also pay attention to this game with anxiety.
Data map: The last round of the group match 1:1 Suwon Samsung, Guangzhou Evergrande wants to qualify for the AFC can only look at the faces of others.
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Super League/IC photo
A few days ago, Guangzhou Evergrande finished the final round of the group match with Suwon Samsung.
In this life-and-death battle involving qualifying, Evergrande achieved a painless result-a 1:1 draw with the opponent.
This means that the fate of Guangzhou Evergrande is in the hands of Kobe and Suwon.
If Kobe, who is ahead of schedule, can beat Suwon, then Evergrande would like to offer the right to the line.
But once Suwon scores a 2 goals or more victory, then Evergrande will definitely be out.
Qualifying depends on the faces of others, and even complicated "math problems". It is self-evident how uncomfortable it is for Guangzhou Evergrande, which has won two AFC championships.
What is even more uncomfortable is that after waiting for three days, Evergrande still can't escape the outcome that is most unwilling to face.
Suwon Samsung won the game 2-0 by no less than no less. Guangzhou Evergrande, who scored with the same score, was out because of a goal difference.
In the final points ranking of Group G, Suwon Samsung beat Guangzhou Evergrande to advance with one goal difference.
Image source: AFC official Weibo
From hope to despair, this gap is often the most tormenting.
The Kobe Victory Ship, which qualified early, did not adopt a large rotation like the second round against Evergrande, but played with a semi-main lineup.
Iniesta and Vermaelen all appeared on the court, and the situation in the first half was not at all disadvantaged.
But the situation changed in the second half. Iniesta and Vermaelen, who had been frequently threatening before, were replaced, and the third substitution adjustment of the half appeared on the central defender.
In other words, Kobe not only removed the midfield engine, but also replaced two important central defenders.
Immediately after the 49th and 68th minutes, Suwon Samsung scored two goals, especially the second goal scored, which originated from the incredible handball of the Kobe players in the penalty area.
The moment Lin Xiangxie expanded the score for Suwon, Evergrande's hope of qualifying was also shattered.
Lin Sangxie made a penalty kick and Suwon led by 2 goals.
After all, it is unreliable to place one's own destiny on others.
Although the match between Kobe and Suwon is really frustrating, there is no need to "ethically kidnap" one side.
In the final analysis, Evergrande itself is not performing well.
This is the second time that Guangzhou Evergrande has been out of the AFC Champions League group stage since participating in the AFC Champions League in 2012.
Since there is no Super Cup competition this year, plus the previous loss of the Chinese Super League and the exit from the FA Cup, this is also the first season of no harvest since Evergrande played in the Chinese Super League in 2011.
Although the previous 2016 season was also eliminated in the AFC group stage, the team still completed the sixth consecutive CSL under the leadership of Scolari.
In the 2018 season when the main lineup was aging, although Evergrande lost the Chinese Super League championship, it at least completed the "standard configuration" for qualifying in the AFC group stage, and there were trophies in the pre-season Super Cup, avoiding all four.
Evergrande announcement
After such a failed season, it is inevitable for Guangzhou Evergrande, which has always been resolute and resolute, to take targeted measures.
At 23:58 on the evening of the 4th, one hour after Evergrande confirmed that the AFC team will be out, Guangzhou Evergrande officially announced: "From now on, the club management model will be officially adjusted to the directors under the leadership of the head coach. The general manager responsibility system under the leadership of the chief executive."
This announcement was somewhat confusing to the outside world.
Another announcement that followed 20 minutes later faintly revealed the logic.
"After research and decision, Zheng Zhi will be the general manager of Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club from now on. At the same time, Gao Han will no longer serve as the general manager of Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club, and his job will be arranged separately."
The two consecutive announcements late at night all pointed to the general manager.
But the real protagonist is the coach Cannavaro who has never been mentioned by name.
In layman's terms, Kashuai, who led the team to set the worst record since the 2011 season, is the first responsible person, and he was also cut from power.
Zheng Zhi, who took up the post of general manager, became the leader of Cannavaro.
In June of this year, Evergrande announced that Zheng Zhi would be an assistant coach for the team.
In fact, as early as June this year, Guangzhou Evergrande announced that Zheng Zhi was appointed as an assistant coach for the team.
At that time, there were voices that Zheng Zhi might become the head coach of Evergrande in the future. This prediction is somewhat similar to the current situation.
When things have developed to this point, a major turning point is that Evergrande lost the Chinese Super League championship.
Coincidentally, due to the time "crash" of the AFC and the FA Cup, Evergrande, which sent the youth team to the FA Cup, lost to Kunshan, and the Super Cup that was supposed to be played before the season was finally cancelled. Two rare pieces of " The fig leaf" is gone...
Even if he catches one of them, Cannavaro will not end up where he is today, nor will he use the AFC as his final "bet."
In the end, not only did he lose, but he also lost decently in comparison with the other three Super League teams participating in the AFC Champions League.
Data map: Cannavaro Picture source: Visual China
Objectively speaking, this season, Cannavaro and Evergrande under his command were not lucky.
Not to mention the Football Association Cup and Super Cup, but this season the Super League adopts the home and away system as usual, with Evergrande’s stability in scoring points, the crowning of the "Nine Crowns" is a high probability event and will not give Jiangsu Suning a set. An upset opportunity for the championship.
After losing the Chinese Super League championship, there was a three-day AFC group match with no time to breathe.
According to the experience of the usual season, the Chinese Super League is about 20 rounds, and the championship teams are prone to fluctuating performance.
For example, Guangzhou Evergrande began to show signs of decline in the 22nd round of last season.
First it was a 1:1 draw with Chongqing Modern, and then a 3:1 victory over Guoan lacking Vieira, followed by a sharp decline in performance: 1:3 Suning, 0:1 Zall, and narrowly defeated the relegation team 3:2 Later, another 2:2 draw with Henan Jianye.
Cannavaro therefore "took class" and participated in the Evergrande corporate culture class.
Fortunately, in the last three rounds, Evergrande won three consecutive victories, including the battle with SIPG's Tianwang Mountain, which ultimately retained the championship.
Before going to the AFC Champions League, Paulinho announced on social media that he would be absent due to injury.
In fact, the trend of this season is similar to that of last season. Unfortunately, the trough of Evergrande coincides with the most critical China Super League victory and the AFC group stage which is trying to save face.
Even worse than last season, the team's core Paulinho was injured and missed the AFC group stage and failed to continue his full attendance.
And in the previous Super Finals, he was already playing with injuries.
For any team, losing the core means losing the most comfortable way of playing and adapting to another tactic.
This year's intensive schedule has just increased the difficulties in this regard.
In addition to the team's downturn, Zheng Zhi, Gao Zhunyi, Zhang Linpeng and other major players have been injured successively, which greatly affected the team's record.
Of course, for a team like Evergrande, no matter what the process is, it is obviously impossible to explain to the fans and investors the result of the whole season without any results, so this series of operations after the game is understandable.
It's just that in the post-Jinyuan era, under various investment and salary restrictions, it may be difficult to change the team as boldly as before through signings and introducing big-name coaches.
Dismissing Cannavaro from power, or even dismissing get out of class, is likely to follow a road that has never been taken.
What will Zheng Zhi be the general manager of Evergrande Club?
Image source: Osports All Sports Photo Agency
Judging from Zheng Zhi's appointment as the general manager, it cannot be ruled out that Evergrande wants to take a new road, but the price that may be paid by taking this new road should also be considered.
But having said that, it is not ruled out that this is another incentive method used by Evergrande Group for the team after the "class" incident last year.
Repeatedly again and again, after all, this is Cannavaro's second get out of class crisis after entering the palace.
Although the impact of this crisis is several times that of the last time, it is different now.
Maybe Cannavaro will still be on the Evergrande coaching bench next season, but Zheng Zhi on the bench may have to go to the VIP stand.
Author: Bian Liqun