Shanghai: Shanghai SIPG got their group stage campaign in the 2017 AFC Champions League off to a flying start on Tuesday with a 1-0 victory away at 2013 finalists FC Seoul. Having lost four of their previous five away games in the competition, the result is a real positive for Andre Villas-Boas and his side in just their second match of the new campaign.
Villas-Boas comes in at Shanghai Stadium in replacement of former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and the differences in approach are already apparent. Without Dario Conca to orchestrate the game from the heart of midfield, Villas-Boas’ side are already beginning to alter their buildup to incorporate more width and it was immediately noticeable that the side’s greatest threat came from wide players Wu Lei and Hulk (pictured) on the night.
Hulk’s 53rd minute goal, which ultimately settled the tie, was reward for the Brazil international’s improved second half performance, pressing higher up the pitch both with and without the ball. While Seoul had been able to push them back early in the encounter, creating chances in and around the penalty area, the increased work rate of SIPG’s much vaunted forward line helped ease the pressure on their inexperienced defensive line. Most impressively, SIPG managed to continue to find outlets following defender He Guan’s 59th minute dismissal.
The difference between Hulk’s first and second half touch maps below show the former Zenit Saint Petersburg man’s role in giving SIPG an outlet higher up the pitch late in the tie. Having started from the flanks, he replaced compatriot Elkeson at the apex of the attack for the final 22 minutes. The difference was stark, using his pace and strength to pull his side out of defence and into more advanced areas. The 10 fouls the Brazilian won over the course of 90 minutes — the vast majority in the second half — shows the difficulty Seoul had in containing the powerful Brazilian at the World Cup Stadium.
While he struggled to assert himself in attack, Oscar’s contributions off the ball were also central to the Shanghai side’s improvement in the second half. The Brazilian’s eight tackles were the highest of anybody in the match as he led the way for his side in pressing when out of possession. With his side reduced to 10 men, Oscar’s defensive contributions only increased to assist his side in recovering possession.
Having been porous in the first half, conceding six shots from within the penalty area, SIPG limited their opponents to just one effort from within the area after the break — Dejan Damjanovic’s missed 61st minute penalty. The increased effectivity of Oscar and his midfield colleagues in stemming the flow of FC Seoul’s attacks higher up the pitch was greatly responsible for the side’s overall defensive effectiveness.
SIPG have invested greatly in midfield and attacking areas over the past 18 months, with their defensive line young and inexperienced by comparison. Through the full team defensive effort seen on Tuesday, Villas-Boas’ side will be able to limit the back four’s exposure to opposition attacks and allow the team’s attacking players to take advantage of opposition disorganisation in transitional phases. The increased aggression and intensity shown by SIPG in the second half on Tuesday will likely serve as a template for what the Portuguese is trying to achieve in the remainder of the competition.
Photo: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com