Written by Cheng Shan On the evening of the 24th, Shanghai Port played to a 1-1 draw at home with Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, maintaining a 13-match unbeaten run and other records, yet had to give up the league's top position they had just claimed. Although after 22 rounds they are only one point behind Shanghai Shenhua, it is necessary to face the reality that Port's upcoming schedule is tougher. In the next 8 rounds, they will face strong opponents like Chengdu Rongcheng and Beijing Guoan. To win the championship, they must be prepared to face these challenges.

Muscat was determined to win

The day before this match, city rivals Shanghai Shenhua won away at Qingdao Hainiu, temporarily reclaiming the league's top spot. This made the outcome of Port's game against Jinmen Tiger even more crucial. In fact, over the next three months, the fierce competition between the two Shanghai teams on the Super League table will be the norm, with Chengdu Rongcheng and Beijing Guoan also pushing hard and unlikely to withdraw from this intense battle. Regarding this, the Port team remained calm: "This situation is not new to us; everyone knows that since we have come this far, every match is a final."

At the pre-match briefing, Muscat showed great confidence and motivated the players in his own special way: "In the previous rounds, I saw you show absolute competitive desire, which is crucial for us. We fully demonstrated our capabilities, and the team as a whole reached a very good form this summer." Although Shenhua's win over Hainiu complicated the situation, Muscat did not want this to burden the players; his goal was for everyone to focus on their tasks: "I want you to fight for every ball, to battle hard, and ensure we get the three points."

From the starting lineup Muscat chose for this match, with Vital, Melendo, Yusa, Gabriel, and Leonardo all on the field, it was clear that facing a Jinmen Tiger squad generally weaker overall, Port’s tactic was to strike first. This week, Shanghai has entered a scorching mode; the "White Jade Bowl" baked by the heat made everyone inside feel uncomfortable. Shortly after leaving the locker room, Muscat’s shirt was already soaked through the back. But what he didn’t expect was that the match itself would be even more challenging than the weather.

Right from the start of the first half, Port noticeably accelerated their attack and pushed the formation forward. At the 4th minute, Port launched an attack down the left flank; Leonardo took a low shot from outside the arc, but a Jinmen Tiger defender blocked it. At the 11th minute, Jinmen Tiger’s Wang Xianjun lost possession in the backfield, and after Liu Ruofan of Port broke into the penalty area, he was pulled down. The Jordanian referee showed no hesitation and decisively awarded a penalty. Gabriel converted it smoothly, giving the home team a 1-0 lead.

Holding the advantage but failing to secure victory

However, maintaining a fast attack system under such high temperatures and with sufficient energy is not easy. After gradually finding Port’s weaknesses, Jinmen Tiger organized effective counterattacks. At the 18th minute, Hadas received a lofted pass from midfield, advanced on his own, and fired a low shot inside the box that narrowly missed, causing a scare for Port’s defense. Although Port’s attacks did not wane and posed multiple threats, Jinmen Tiger did not collapse under the quick tempo but patiently sought their opportunities. At the 43rd minute, Salvador delivered a through ball; Keiles received it, shook off Wei Zhen’s defense, and scored one-on-one to equalize for Jinmen Tiger at 1-1 before halftime.

Facing a goalless first half, during halftime Muscat reminded his players to stay focused while maintaining attacking rhythm. He also encouraged more efficiency and aggression in the offensive front. But after the second half started, both teams created several chances despite fatigue, yet none resulted in goals. The fate did not favor the home side. In injury time, young player Kuai Jiwen broke into the penalty area and unleashed a powerful shot that struck the post. The final whistle blew shortly after. Despite controlling 61% of possession, Port ultimately failed to secure the three points.

After the match, Muscat admitted the team still lacked in capitalizing on opportunities and shifted his focus to the upcoming tough match against Chengdu Rongcheng: "This game was originally scheduled for yesterday, which would have given us an extra day to prepare, but reality is what it is. We can only prepare well and play our best in the next match."

The match against Chengdu Rongcheng will indeed be difficult. Beyond the preparation time issue, Port is troubled by personnel shortages. Due to call-ups for the U22 national team training camp, Port’s Wu Mitijiang, Kuai Jiwen, and Li Xinxian will report on August 25, meaning they will miss the end-of-month away match in Chengdu. Additionally, Yusa, who received a yellow card in today’s game, will be suspended, further worsening Port’s situation.