Strikers Open China Preseason Tour against Shandong Luneng
March 2, 2016 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release
JINAN, SHANDONG - The Fort Lauderdale Strikers opened their preseason tour of China with a friendly match against Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng. The hosts won the match 4-1.
Shandong opened the scoring in the seventh minute on a penalty kick and increased their lead to two goals before halftime. Strikers captain Gabriel scored in the second half to pull Fort Lauderdale within one goal of the first division side, before Shandong replied with two late goals. Fort Lauderdale had two clear-cut chances cleared off the line, and struck the post with a freekick late in the match.
"It was a hard game, Shandong Luneng is a great team," said Head Coach and General Manager Caio Zanardi. "We were a little bit tired, but now we have three or four days to recover. There were so many positive points [from the match], now we are going to fix our mistakes."
The match was first fixture for the Strikers since arriving in China two days prior. The club has three more friendles scheduled for the rest of the preseason tour in China.
It was a difficult start for the Strikers after falling behind just seven minutes into the match on a penalty kick from AloÃsio. The Brazilian forward sent his compatriot Bruno Cardoso the wrong way from 12 yards out to put the Chinese side up 1-0.
Chinese national team midfielder Zhang Wenzhao doubled the advantage with a clinical volley in the 19th minute.
Matheus Carvalho was lively for the Strikers in the first half, and created a couple of goalscoring chances. The winger forced a save from goalkeeper Han Rongze at the near post and was later brought down in the box after a mazy dribble from the right flank, but the appeal for a penalty kick was not successful.
Zanardi made one change at the half: Giuseppe Gentile replaced Carvalho. Zanardi's counterpart, and former Brazil national team coach, Mano Menezes, made a pair of subs of his own. Injuries forced Zanardi to make a number of tactical adjustments to his second-half lineup.
Gentile made an immediate impact as Fort Lauderdale started the second period with attacking intent, and should have scored in the 49th minute. His close range header was parried away by Rongze and the followup shot from an acute angle was cleared off the line.
Later in the second half, Gabriel went close with a long-range strike that stung the palms of the goalkeeper. The right back would get his goal in the 70th minute with a composed finish after being played in behind the Shandong defense by substitute Adrianinho's through ball.
The one-goal deficit was short lived, however, as Shandong replied just four minutes later through Cheng Yuan to restore their two-goal cushion.
A fourth goal was added by substitute Huang Pu just one minute after entering the match on a swift counterattacking play.
Down 4-1, the Strikers showed no signs of giving up. Nana Attakora intercepted a pass inside the Shandong half and with a critical pass, split the gap between the defenders for Jose Angulo. The forward's shot was saved by the goalkeeper, and the rebound smashed toward goal by Victor Pineda was cleared off the line.
Adrianinho nearly grabbed a goal of his own when his freekick dipped over the wall and struck the post.
The Strikers next match, a friendly against Chengdu Qianbao, has been moved one day back to Sunday, March 6 at 3:30 p.m. CST (2:30 a.m. EST).
North American Soccer League Stories from March 2, 2016
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- Strikers Open China Preseason Tour against Shandong Luneng - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
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