The Football Newspaper on Port’s Failure to Secure an Opening Victory: A Wealthy Battle May Not Be Easy to Win

Last night, in the first round of the AFC Champions League East Asia Zone, Shanghai Port drew 2-2 with Johor Darul Ta’zim, becoming the only team in the Chinese Super League (CSL) that failed to secure an opening victory. The Football Newspaper wrote that Port, widely recognized as the strongest team and fielding six foreign players for the first time, made this draw somewhat disappointing. The fact is clear: a wealthy battle is not always easy to win.

In the previous league match against New Pengcheng, Port played somewhat conservatively. Given the dense schedule this month, it seemed that Port was reserving strength for the tough battles ahead. However, for head coach Marko Ružička, his biggest task this season is to lead Port to the league championship. As they enter the final crucial stage, neither Port nor Ružička want to let the almost certain victory slip away. Therefore, while Port did not neglect the AFC Champions League preparations, they were indeed unable to focus fully.

This season, Port has been invincible on the league stage, their overall strength truly terrifying to CSL opponents. Facing Johor at home, “victory” seemed almost guaranteed from an outsider’s perspective. However, Johor, starting with as many as nine foreign players, gave Port a lesson. The team’s mindset had clearly not adjusted quickly enough to the AFC Champions League. Continuous matches left the players visibly fatigued, especially Oscar, usually a key player, who was notably off-form.

With 16 shots throughout the game, nearly three times that of their opponent, Port’s desire to win was evident. Yet, the opening victory eluded them. Although a draw is certainly not the result Port hoped for, Johor’s formidable fighting strength caused significant trouble for Port, leaving them unable to find a breakthrough on the offensive end. This match also sounded the alarm that there are no weak teams in the AFC Champions League.