Wuhan Three Towns drew 3-3 away against Shandong Taishan, with new coach Suarez seeing positive changes

Reporter Lu Mi reports On the evening of May 24, Wuhan Three Towns traveled to face Shandong Taishan in a thrilling encounter that ended in a 3-3 draw.

Since Suarez took charge, he has been working on fixing the defense, but unfortunately, in this match, problems on both wings resurfaced, resulting in conceded goals. Yet the team also showed promise: Kardec was involved in all three goals, displaying chemistry with the foreign midfielders. Suarez needs time to continue refining the team's defense.

In the recent 13th round of the Chinese Super League, Portuguese coach Suarez watched Wuhan Three Towns' match against Shanghai Shenhua from the stands at Shanghai Stadium. That game, where they came back from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 against a strong opponent, gave him an initial firsthand understanding of the team. On May 21, Wuhan Three Towns officially announced Suarez as the head coach, and the experienced CSL coach took on the task of rebuilding the squad.

Upon joining, Suarez did not rush to implement radical tactical changes, instead focusing on thoroughly familiarizing himself with the team. Through daily training, matches, one-on-one player talks, and communication with the club management, he gained a multi-faceted understanding of the team's tactics, player characteristics, squad weaknesses, and mental state. Observing from the stands versus coaching from within gives a very different perception; only by truly integrating into the team can one precisely grasp the root of the problems, laying the foundation for future adjustments.

In terms of tactics, Suarez has clearly prioritized defensive improvements. This season, Three Towns' defense has been leaky, with high goals conceded in the first 13 rounds, often due to defensive errors leading to dropped points, a key reason for the team's relegation zone position. Therefore, Suarez has made patching the defense, strengthening defensive discipline, and enhancing players' awareness of co-defense his top priorities, aiming to stem the flow of goals quickly. At the same time, helping the team regain confidence, unleashing players' abilities and potential, and improving the standings are also important goals.

The dense May schedule has left players generally fatigued, but the arrival of the new coach has brought changes. The training atmosphere is completely renewed, with players showing positive attitudes, earnestly implementing tactical instructions, and proactively communicating ideas with the coaching staff, hoping to rediscover their form under the new system.

Interim coach Deng Zhuoxiang, after leading the team to a draw against Shenhua in the previous round, returned to his original role. Suarez specially thanked him: "In the three matches before I took over, Coach Deng did an outstanding job, and you could see the team gradually improving. After we arrived, Coach Deng actively communicated with us, sharing details about player characteristics and the team’s situation, which helped the new coaching staff better prepare for the following games."

Despite repeatedly emphasizing and improving defensive issues in pre-match training, this game still exposed the defensive problems of Wuhan Three Towns.

Three Towns' defense handed a "gift" just four minutes into the match: a right-sided defensive lapse allowed Zeca to break into the box and be fouled. After a VAR check, the referee awarded a penalty, which Crysan converted.

Falling behind early did not shake Three Towns' confidence. They calmly executed their tactics, pressing high to disrupt Taishan's midfield transitions and quickly forming a siege. In the 12th minute, their sustained pressure paid off. A smooth passing move in the final third sliced through the defense; Kardec cleverly back-heeled the ball inside the box, and Sauer followed up to calmly slot home, leveling the score. Energized by the equalizer, Three Towns continued to pressure Taishan's defense. In the 29th minute, Kardec's rapid breakout from midfield created a chance, winning a penalty. He stepped up and converted to make it 2-1.

After taking the lead, Three Towns maintained control for a while, and against Taishan's counterattacks, their man-marking and collective defensive coverage were solid, making the team function more as a unit. However, the defense cracked in the 43rd minute. Taishan attacked down Three Towns' left flank; Liu Yang delivered a precise cross, and Xie Wenneng, unmarked in the box, headed home to equalize again, exposing Three Towns' lack of tight marking on the left. The second goal that put Taishan ahead in the second half came in the same fashion—Liu Yang crossed from the left, and this time Crysan scored.

Suarez made personnel adjustments on both flanks, and for a period, the team engaged in an open exchange with Taishan. Three Towns created several chances from set pieces, hitting the woodwork twice. In the dying moments of regular time, Three Towns earned another right-sided corner. Kardec rose to head the ball into the net, scoring his second goal to level the score just before the final whistle. In this match, he was involved in all three goals, undoubtedly the star performer. So far this season, he has scored 11 goals, tying for the top of the scoring charts with Oscar and Crysan.

Wuhan Three Towns fought with all their might, earning Suarez a draw in his debut. After the match, Suarez said, "All teams in the league know how tough it is to play away against Shandong. But I think today the players performed at a very high level, especially fighting hard from start to finish. I also want to congratulate them—to earn this difficult point is a reward for their efforts. I am very satisfied with the players' performance."

Looking at the entire match, Three Towns exposed issues with persistent defensive vulnerability on the left and loose marking, but their resilience in not giving up when behind, and the improved overall cohesion in both attack and defense, deserve praise. The last-gasp equalizer was a testament to the team's fighting spirit and unity. For Three Towns, this draw not only secured a valuable point but also showed progress on both ends. Of course, defensive problems still need further resolution, and Suarez still has plenty of work ahead.