Six consecutive AFC Champions League losses against Japanese teams, can Shanghai Port stop the decline?

Special contributor / Li Yun On the evening of the 26th, in the 7th minute of added time, Shanghai Port scored a last-gasp winner against Wuhan Three Towns through Leonardo. Meanwhile, just minutes later and 200 kilometers away at Hangzhou Huanglong Sports Center, Zhejiang team drew with Chengdu Rongcheng. These two thrilling games resulted in another change in the rankings between Shanghai Port and Chengdu Rongcheng. After 26 rounds, Shanghai Port has accumulated 57 points, two more than Chengdu Rongcheng, taking the top spot.

Before the October break, Port still has one match to play—on the 30th at 18:00, in the AFC Champions League Elite, Port will visit Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Having lost all six recent AFC matches against Japanese teams, Port’s reputation is at stake; they need to halt the slide and prove their status as the “top Chinese Super League team” on the Asian stage.

Leonardo is the key figure behind Port’s rise to the top of the CSL. He scored two golden goals in the match, helping Port secure a hard-fought 3 points at home. This marks his sixth goal in the last three league rounds. At this crucial stage of the title race, Leonardo has reached peak form, with six goals including the opener against Yunnan Yukun, a hat-trick in the 3-2 away win over Beijing Guoan, and a brace against Wuhan Three Towns at home.

After scoring the winning goal against Three Towns, Leonardo knelt on the ground for a long celebration. In a post-match interview, he said, “I’ve been playing with great confidence lately. I’m determined to seize every chance to help the team out of difficulties. This recent surge is related to the coach’s tactics. I discussed with him, asking for more freedom to drop outside the penalty area to organize play rather than always staying as a central striker. The coach’s support has allowed me to be more flexible on the pitch.”

Since joining the CSL in the 2021 season, Leonardo has scored a total of 61 goals, showing impressive scoring efficiency. Notably, during this summer’s transfer window, Port adjusted their foreign players and Leonardo nearly got dropped from the registration list. Many believed Gustavo, a taller striker, suited the team’s tactics better, while Leonardo’s style was less defined. However, since Gustavo’s contract ends this year and Leonardo just signed a three-year deal, the coaching staff ultimately replaced Gustavo with newcomer Melendo for the CSL registration. No one expected this decision to have such a big impact on the team’s league campaign. At a critical point in the title race, Leonardo repaid the club’s trust with stunning performances.

Besides Leonardo, Kuai Jiwen’s performance also deserves mention. His repeated attacks after coming on disrupted Three Towns’ defense and created the chance for Leonardo to equalize. After the match, Zhejiang teammate Wang Yudong interacted with Kuai Jiwen on social media: “Brother, see you on the 6th, can I still be your teammate?” Kuai Jiwen replied: “Miss you, brother.”

For Port, the last-second winner was certainly gratifying, but throughout the match, they had taken an early lead and could have won comfortably. However, coach Muscat’s indecisiveness with substitutions allowed Wuhan Three Towns to find opportunities and almost caused Port to drop points.

Recently, Shanghai has been hot, and heavy rain just before the match made the field very humid, posing a tough test for both teams’ stamina. By the 63rd minute, veteran Wang Shenchao was already cramping, yet Muscat had made no substitutions by the 70th minute. At the 71st minute, Three Towns’ coach Deng Zhuoxiang brought on three attacking players at once, applying high pressure on Port’s defense, especially targeting areas where some players were physically exhausted. Within eight minutes, Zhong Jinbao’s shots and passes quickly turned the score to 2-1 in favor of Three Towns. Only then did Muscat wake up and start making changes, going all out.

Muscat’s hesitation in making tactical decisions is nothing new. The most memorable instance was in the 2024 derby when Port’s Wei Zhen was sent off with a red card, and Muscat waited nine minutes before making a substitution, replacing defensive midfielder Yousa to strengthen the attack. This delay contributed to Port being overturned by Shenhua despite a favorable position.

After this match, when asked why he delayed substitutions in the second half, Muscat explained: “There were some situations on the field that required changes. The weather was very humid and hot, so we needed to check if other players also needed adjustments before making substitutions.”

Perhaps Muscat’s indecisive in-game management is one reason why Port has been at a clear disadvantage against Japanese teams. From last season’s AFC Champions League Elite to the 0-3 home defeat to Vissel Kobe on the 17th, Port has lost six consecutive matches to Japanese clubs. Including the 0-2 loss to Kobe in 2020, that makes seven straight defeats. When the team is struggling and physically drained, failing to respond timely with substitutions or tactical changes leaves Port powerless to reverse results.

Port’s defensive issues are severe, conceding goals in 12 consecutive matches across all competitions and 13 goals in the last five games, showing poor defensive stats. Against domestic teams, Port can still rely on a strong offense to equalize or take the lead, but on the Asian stage against Japanese and Korean teams, conceding goals makes comeback very difficult. Reflecting on the two second-half goals conceded against Three Towns, Muscat said: “We should have performed better. Such concessions are a tough test for the players, who face enormous pressure on the pitch. At that moment, I’m sure their feelings were very mixed.”

After defeating Three Towns, Port rested one day in Shanghai and departed on Sunday (28th) to Hiroshima to prepare for Tuesday’s match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. The two teams have never met before. Sanfrecce Hiroshima won their first AFC Champions League Elite match 2-0 away against Melbourne City. Their most notable player is former Premier League Wolves winger and fringe Japanese international Kawabe Shun.

Currently, the squad is relatively complete except Xu Xin’s recurring injury and long-term absences of Wu Lei and Wang Zhen’ao; other players are available. In the previous AFC Champions League Elite round, Port had to focus on preparing for the title battle with Guoan, so they rested many players. After this AFC match, the CSL will enter a break, allowing Port to field a more complete lineup against Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

Muscat is expected to make appropriate squad adjustments midweek, fielding players in better physical condition. Veterans like Wang Shenchao have been heavily used in the league and already suffered cramps, so they might rest. Gustavo will start again up front, which should ease some pressure on Leonardo.