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Oscar, ageing legs: five reasons Guangzhou lost Chinese crown
SHANGHAI, Nov 8, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Shanghai SIPG are the new kings of
Chinese football after winning the Chinese Super League (CSL) to end
Guangzhou Evergrande’s seven-year reign as champions.
The Shanghai club of expensive Brazilian duo Oscar and Hulk were crowned
champions for the first time in their history on Wednesday after a 2-1 home
victory over Beijing Renhe.
AFP Sports pinpoints how SIPG were finally able to break Evergrande’s
stranglehold on Chinese football — and where Fabio Cannavaro’s deposed
champions failed.
– SIPG attacking prowess –
Oscar had a mediocre first year after signing for an Asian-record 60
million euros from Chelsea, but this season he has racked up a CSL-leading 18
assists, and scored 12 goals.
He provided some of the ammunition for Wu Lei, China’s best player and the
league’s top scorer with 27 goals.
Then there is striker and captain Hulk, who averaged a goal every other
game. A third Brazilian attacker, Elkeson, weighed in with seven goals.
– Faith in continuity –
Andre Villas-Boas left at the end of last season but SIPG did not make
wholesale changes to their playing or background staff.
Swapping one Portuguese coach for another in Vitor Pereira — a former
assistant to Villas-Boas — eased the transition off the pitch, while on it
they kept faith with most of the squad that came second behind Evergrande 12
months ago.
Fans were unimpressed by Pereira’s appointment and wanted a bigger name,
but an 8-0 opening-day thrashing of Dalian Yifang set the tone.
– No cup distractions –
SIPG were dumped out of the Asian Champions League in May, part of a poor
run of form that saw the pressure on Pereira mount.
In July they went out of the Chinese FA Cup to CSL title rivals Beijing
Guoan.
But Pereira, having complained about playing two matches a week, might have
been thankful for the decreased workload on his players.
In the 17 CSL games since exiting the domestic cup they have lost only
once. Beijing Guoan and Shandong Luneng reached the FA Cup final, but their
league challenges imploded.
– Evergrande transfer failure –
When the CSL took a two-month break for the World Cup, Evergrande seized
the moment to bring former favourite Paulinho back from Barcelona. Anderson
Talisca, the talented attacking midfielder, was meanwhile drafted in on loan
from Benfica.
The Brazilians made an immediate impact, but Evergrande were always playing
catch-up after a poor start.
Serbian midfielder Nemanja Gudelj — signed in the close season as
Paulinho’s replacement — was a notable flop and was shipped off to Sporting
Lisbon.
– Ageing legs –
Evergrande have been likened to Manchester United because of their great
success. But like United, they have found it hard to replace their stalwarts.
It says everything about the ageing nature of the squad that midfielder
Zheng Zhi remains captain and a first choice — at age 38. The average age of
Cannavaro’s starting XI against SIPG last weekend was nearly 31.
SIPG — who won what was effectively the title decider 5-4 — averaged
nearer 27. It suggests SIPG are much better geared for success in the coming
seasons.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1220 hrs