Major upset! The league's third-place team crashes out, losing 3-5 to Taizhou in a penalty shootout, with two of the Super League's top four eliminated.

On October 5th Beijing time, the Jiangsu City Football League wrapped up a crucial quarterfinal clash where the third-placed Xuzhou team was defeated 3-5 on penalties by Taizhou, failing to reach the semifinals. This surprising outcome stands out as a major upset. Consequently, the semifinal slots have been claimed by Nanjing and Taizhou!

Xuzhou is a strong contender in the Super League, having demonstrated solid performance during the league phase to secure third place and advance to the quarterfinals. They faced fifth-ranked Taizhou, who clinched their quarterfinal spot in the final round, ranked sixth overall. Considering overall strength, Xuzhou was favored to dominate Taizhou and move on to the semifinals. To boost their chances, Xuzhou even temporarily recruited three China League One players, yet they were unexpectedly eliminated. The match was highly intense, broadcast by CCTV and officiated by renowned referee Ma Ning, highlighting its significance!

After the match began, both teams were evenly matched, but home team Xuzhou scored first when Zheng Xuejian delivered a precise cross, assisting Liu Yichen to head the ball into the net and break the deadlock. Later, they missed a clear chance to extend the lead by failing to score into an open goal. In the second half, Taizhou responded fiercely, scoring in a similar fashion to equalize through Fan Chao. Xuzhou’s attack then faltered, unable to find the net again, leading to a penalty shootout. Taizhou’s goalkeeper performed brilliantly, saving two penalties, while Taizhou’s penalty takers executed with high precision, ultimately helping Taizhou eliminate Xuzhou 5-3. Xuzhou’s campaign ended abruptly!

From this game, Xuzhou’s performance was poor. After taking the lead, they became too defensive and wasted several opportunities, including missing an open goal and failing to capitalize on chances. In contrast, Taizhou played with great determination, clearly prepared for a penalty shootout, and their penalty-taking skills were exceptional, leaving Xuzhou’s goalkeeper helpless despite guessing correctly!

With this outcome, the tournament’s semifinalists are now set with two spots taken by Nanjing and Taizhou, both having advanced through penalty shootouts, making for a thrilling competition. It seems the top eight teams are evenly matched, and knockout rounds demand fierce battles. Two semifinal places remain undecided—let’s wait and see!

Written by / Sports Novel

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