Sept. 8: Shao Jiayi’s Biggest Discovery — 3-1 Match Reveals the True Quality of National Team Outcast, China’s Midfield Gains New Core

At 19:00 on September 6, Shanghai Shenhua visited promoted side Chongqing Tonglianglong at Chongqing Longxing Football Stadium in the 26th round of the Chinese Super League.

Eight minutes after kickoff, Manafa found the left side with a long pass. Gao Tianyi made no adjustment and volleyed the ball across the middle, where Asue finished. Just two minutes later, Gao Tianyi made a backheel-style layoff inside the box, Wu Xi shot from the edge of the area, and the ball deflected off Gao Tianyi before going into the net.

Two attacks in three minutes, and he was directly involved in both. That was how Shenhua built a 2-0 away lead.

The match ended 3-1, with Yang Haoyu scoring a decisive header in the 86th minute and Engardou scoring a bicycle kick in stoppage time for Tonglianglong. The brightest name of the match was Gao Tianyi.

If you only look at the match statistics, you will find something interesting—

Nano data showed Gao Tianyi started and played 71 minutes, scoring one goal, providing one assist, making two key passes, and winning eight of 10 one-on-one duels.

Shenhua head coach Milosevic specifically praised him after the match: “His tactical role in the team is beyond doubt, and his performance was also excellent. Today he helped the team very well.”

But not long ago, he was still the “disappointed player” left out by former China national team coach Ivan.

Back in 2025, during Ivan’s time coaching China, Gao Tianyi’s defensive weaknesses were exposed at international level and he gradually fell out of the squad. It was not until last July’s East Asian Cup that he returned to the national team, starting the full matches in losses to South Korea 0-3 and Japan 0-2.

At that time, few expected the 27-year-old Shenhua midfielder would become one of Shao Jiayi’s “aces” a year later.

In this 3-1 win, Shenhua coach Milosevic made a key adjustment—Wang Haijian started as the defensive midfielder alongside Wu Xi in central midfield, freeing Gao Tianyi from pressing duties further forward.

The effect was immediate.

With more freedom, Gao Tianyi became more flexible and closer to the opponent’s goal. He proved he is not only Shenhua’s first-choice set-piece taker, but also a major creator in open play.

In the 31st minute, he attempted a side-footed shot that was saved by goalkeeper Yao Haoyang. Throughout the first half, he was Shenhua’s most active attacking initiator.

Behind this adjustment was Shenhua’s recent inconsistency—after the coaching change they had one win and three losses in four matches, scoring seven and conceding 11, with difficulties breaking down defensive teams. Moving Gao Tianyi forward was Milosevic’s solution.

Looking beyond this match to the entire 2026 season, Gao Tianyi’s numbers are even more impressive.

Nano Sports statistics show that in the 2026 CSL season Gao Tianyi has played 25 matches, started 24, scored one goal, provided 10 assists, played 1,776 minutes, made 55 key passes, completed 729 passes, delivered 179 crosses with 49 successful, completed 57 of 105 long passes, and won 101 of 244 one-on-one duels.

A comparison across matches:

April 5, Round 4: Took a corner that assisted Zhu Chenjie; Shenhua beat Tianjin Jinmen Tiger 3-2.

May 9, Round 11: Assisted Zhu Chenjie’s header; Shenhua drew 2-2 with Chongqing Tonglianglong.

July 19, Round 17: Assisted in three consecutive CSL matches, set a personal single-season high of six assists, as Shenhua won away at Beijing Guoan 3-1.

August, Round 19: Gao Tianyi scored and assisted Jiang Shenglong’s header from a corner, as Shenhua drew 4-4 away with Yunnan Yukun.

August 29, Round 25 Shanghai-Shandong derby: He assisted Latong and Asue, recording two assists in one match.

September 6, Round 26: Again one goal and one assist.

He ranks first among domestic players in CSL assists this season.

His 10 assists and involvement in 11 goals both set new career highs for a single CSL season.

On March 20, the Chinese Football Association announced a new national team training squad, with Gao Tianyi included. This was the second training camp organized after Shao Jiayi became head coach, and Gao’s first inclusion in Shao’s squad.

In Shao Jiayi’s first 26-man training squad announced in January, Gao Tianyi was not among the midfielders selected.

The journey from “not in the squad” to “first selection” was built on the 10 assists Gao Tianyi produced in the CSL.

Shao Jiayi has a clear selection standard—“focus on form and suitability,” not reputation or experience, but actual performance and tactical fit.

Gao Tianyi’s qualities fit Shao’s system perfectly: he is neither a soft purely technical midfielder nor a defensive midfielder lacking distribution ability, but a typical all-around worker and deep-lying playmaker.

China’s current midfield options include Wang Shangyuan, Serginho, Wei Shihao, Lin Liangming, Huang Jiahui, Dai Weijun, Xie Wenneng and Gao Tianyi. Among them, Gao is the only domestic player with double-digit assists in this CSL season.

Interestingly, Shao Jiayi’s approach of relying on league form and current condition has not only revived Gao Tianyi.

Dai Weijun also regained opportunities in Shao’s period as national team coach. Compared with Dai, Gao’s biggest difference is that he has proven himself through solid league statistics.

25 appearances, 24 starts, 10 assists, 55 key passes.

This is not a one-match flash of brilliance, but consistent output over an entire season.

For Chongqing Tonglianglong, after this 1-3 defeat they have gone 10 league matches without a win and dropped to ninth. Shenhua moved to 31 points with the victory, seven points away from the CSL top four.

One side is a promoted team in a slump, while the other is an established club that has rediscovered its attacking rhythm. Gao Tianyi has become the switch that makes Shenhua’s attack work.

Returning to the strong statement in the title—“China’s midfield gains a new core.”

What supports that claim?

First, China needs a versatile player like Gao Tianyi who can contribute both defensively and offensively with creativity. His vision, set-piece accuracy and late runs into scoring areas fill the “deep-lying playmaker” role in Shao’s system.

Second, Shao’s double defensive midfield setup usually needs one ball-winning partner and one distributor. Wang Shangyuan, Huang Jiahui and Huang Zhengyu can play the sweeping role, while Gao Tianyi is currently the domestic player with the strongest statistical case for distribution.

Furthermore, the Chongqing International Football Invitational Tournament will take place from September 24 to October 6, with China facing Palestine, New Zealand, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. The new squad has not yet been announced, but Gao’s current league form makes his selection highly likely.

However, the words “new core” carry significant weight.

Gao Tianyi’s national team journey has not been smooth. International matches are played at a much faster pace than the CSL, and his defensive weaknesses may be exposed against stronger opponents. He needs a defensive midfielder alongside him to fully unleash his attacking ability.

From being dropped by Ivan to being selected by Shao Jiayi, from Shenhua’s set-piece taker to a main open-play creator, from a “disappointed player” to the domestic assist leader—Gao Tianyi’s season is essentially a victory of tactical adaptation.

Shao Jiayi saw his CSL statistics, Milosevic freed him at club level, and the opening three minutes at Longxing Stadium on September 6 simply condensed all of this into the clearest possible image.

A challenge to become famous from one photograph.