After FA Cup Exit, Shanghai Shenhua Fully Focuses on AFC Champions League Push; New Coach Improving

An early FA Cup exit does not necessarily mean Shenhua have completely lost their ambitions for this season. After the conclusion of the 26th round of the Chinese Super League, Shenhua quickly made personnel adjustments, while head coach Milojevic boldly changed the formation and corrected tactics in the match against Chongqing Tonglianglong, allowing many fans to see a different side of the team. However, behind the brief league revival, the call-up of key players for the Asian Games and the approaching AFC Champions League matches mean the real challenges have only just arrived for Shenhua.

On September 7, the day after the end of the Chinese Super League's 26th round, the club officially announced the termination of its contract with foreign player Mineiro. The player had previously shown an unsportsmanlike action in the FA Cup and received a three-match suspension. Shenhua handled the matter decisively and ended their cooperation. Before this, after being eliminated from the FA Cup, Shenhua had also clarified their season focus again, using league matches mainly for squad evaluation and development while helping Milojevic become familiar with the Chinese Super League environment. The team's main focus has shifted to the AFC Champions League.

The match against Chongqing Tonglianglong was seen as a must-not-lose battle for both sides. Outside observers had expected a difficult contest against a compact defense, but the flow of the game changed because of the coach's adjustments. Milojevic made a key correction. In the previous two matches, he had repeatedly used Manafa as a left-back, which limited the player's attacking qualities. In this match, Manafa returned to his familiar right-back position and immediately showed his attacking influence. Manafa repeatedly attacked the opponent's defense. The first goal came after his powerful breakthrough and cross created chaos in the penalty area, helping Asooue score. Wu Xi later completed a shot, and Gao Tianyi seized the opportunity to score, recorded as an assist by Wu Xi. In the second half, Manafa delivered another accurate cross, assisting Yang Haoyu's header, fully activating Shenhua's right side in both attack and defense.

Throughout the match, Milojevic demonstrated flexible tactical thinking, switching between two formations in one game, something rarely seen during Slutsky's tenure. Near the end of the match, after noticing that the opponent was good at creating attacking threats through long balls, the coach replaced Asooue and Lattang and adjusted to a three-man defensive system. However, Shenhua still failed to keep a clean sheet before the final whistle, as the opponent took advantage after center-back N'Gadeu's clearance attempt outside the box. Goalkeeper Xue Qinghao delivered a strong performance, making several close-range saves. Without that conceded goal, he could have recorded a clean sheet. His consistent displays have helped him secure the starting goalkeeper position, while Ma Zhen will likely continue waiting for opportunities from the bench.

The domestic midfield pairing of Wu Xi and Gao Tianyi produced an impressive performance, with their passing organization and ability to deliver the ball to the wings matching that of foreign midfielders. Teixeira was not included in the squad for this match, and Milojevic explained after the game that it was due to injury protection. Interestingly, without Teixeira, Shenhua's attacking combinations appeared smoother, with more one-touch passing and fewer individual plays. The number 10 foreign player has strong individual ability, but he often becomes involved in solo dribbling situations and disputes with referees. His contract expires at the end of this year, and his renewal prospects remain uncertain. At the post-match press conference, Milojevic said the team was on the right track and that he cared more about tactical content and solving attacking problems than league results.

The short-term league victory is only a phased achievement, and the real test will come ten days later. At 8:15 p.m. on September 17, the AFC Champions League second-tier competition will begin, with Shenhua hosting Tampines Rovers. Three key players, Wu Xi, Zhu Chenjie, and Yang Haoyu, will participate in the Asian Games and miss this important match. The absence of midfield organization, defensive leadership, and attacking support presents a new challenge for Milojevic. League matches can be used for gradual development, but every AFC Champions League group-stage match affects qualification prospects, and the squad shortage will be difficult to fully solve through in-game adjustments alone.

The league can be used for development, and foreign players can be decisively selected or released, but after multiple key players are called away, how will Shenhua rely on its squad to face the many challenges of the AFC Champions League?