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From August 21st to 22nd, Beijing time, the sixth round of the 2024 Chinese FA Cup was held in Nanjing, Jinan and Shanghai. After two days and four exciting matches, the top four teams of the 2024 Chinese FA Cup were officially formed. Chengdu Rongcheng, Shandong Taishan, Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai Haigang successfully advanced. These four teams are also at the top of the league standings this season. The ability to advance on both fronts fully proves the super overall strength of these four teams.

All lower-level teams were eliminated

On August 21, Chengdu Rongcheng, ranked third in the Chinese Super League standings, challenged Nanjing Urban, a Chinese League One team, away. Although according to the regulations, Chengdu Rongcheng could only use three foreign players, but with superior overall strength, Chengdu Rongcheng still defeated Nanjing Urban 2-1 and advanced with difficulty. Wei Shihao missed a penalty in the first half, but then he made up for it and helped the team score a goal in the 44th minute, rewriting the score to 1-0. In the second half, Chengdu Rongcheng center Felipe scored with a header to expand the score.

Nanjing City, trailing by two goals, still showed an indomitable fighting spirit. In the 81st minute of the game, Ogbu scored in a chaotic battle in front of the goal, making the score 1-2. This goal once gave Nanjing City hope of advancing, but Chengdu City united as one and finally maintained the one-goal lead.

So far, all the lower-level teams in this year's Chinese FA Cup have been eliminated. However, Nanjing City eliminated two Chinese Super League teams, Cangzhou Lions and Qingdao Hainiu, writing the glory of the Chinese League One team, which can be said to be an honorable defeat.

In another match in the lower half, Shandong Taishan has regained its form recently. Bi Jinhao scored the first goal with a header in the 8th minute. Marcel then scored his first goal in Shandong Taishan's career. In the second half, Kazaishvili further expanded the score. Shandong Taishan secured a 3-0 lead in just over 60 minutes. Although Zhong Yihao scored a goal for Henan Club's wine ancestor Du Kang in the 70th minute of the game, it was too late. Shandong Taishan successfully advanced to the semi-finals of the 2024 Chinese FA Cup. After winning this game, Shandong Taishan has recently achieved three consecutive victories in Asia and domestic competitions, sweeping away the shadow of three consecutive league losses, and the team is back on track.

This season, Shandong Taishan has been significantly left behind by the top three in the league standings, but as the winner of the three consecutive Chinese FA Cup titles from 2020 to 2022, the regained form of Shandong Taishan will undoubtedly still be a strong contender for this year's Chinese FA Cup title.

FA Cup welcomes Shanghai derby again

On August 22, two quarter-finals of the first half of the Chinese FA Cup were held. Shanghai Shenhua defeated Beijing Guoan 2-1 at home with Teixeira's "world wave" and Hong Kong player Chen Jinyi's accurate shot, and advanced to the semi-finals of the FA Cup. This season, Shanghai Shenhua and Beijing Guoan, the old rivals, have played against each other three times, and Shenhua won for the first time. Looking back at the past history of the two teams, Shanghai Shenhua's last victory over Beijing Guoan was exactly two years ago.

In another quarter-final, Shanghai Haigang, with its strongest lineup, beat Tianjin Jinmen Tiger 3-0 at home, with Wu Lei completing a hat trick in just 46 minutes. This season, Wu Lei has scored 31 goals in 28 games in all competitions, breaking his previous single-season record of 29 goals.

According to the schedule, the 2024 Chinese FA Cup will hold two semi-final matches between September 24 and 26. Shanghai Haigang will host Shanghai Shenhua at home. The fourth Shanghai derby this season will once again set off the Chinese football world. Previously, the two teams met three times in this year's Super Cup and League, and Shanghai Shenhua won two and drew one to remain unbeaten.

The last time Shanghai Harbor and Shanghai Shenhua met in the Chinese FA Cup was in the 2021 season. In the two-round semi-final, Shanghai Harbor beat Shanghai Shenhua 5-1 away and tied with Shanghai Shenhua 1-1 at home, successfully eliminating the opponent and advancing to the final. This year, the two teams meet again in the cup. Let us wait and see what kind of exciting plot will be presented.

In the other semi-final, Shandong Taishan faced Chengdu Rongcheng at home. The two teams met twice in the league this season, and Shandong Taishan completed a double victory at home and away. For Chengdu Rongcheng, if they want to avenge their defeat in the league, the upcoming FA Cup semi-final is undoubtedly the best stage.

Outside the stadium, before the focus match between Shanghai Shenhua and Beijing Guoan, the Chinese Football Association Cup championship trophy tour came to the outside of the Shanghai Stadium. Enthusiastic Shanghai Shenhua fans arrived early to participate in the question-and-answer interactive challenge and take photos with the championship trophy. Former Shanghai Shenhua player Wang Wei distributed benefits to Shenhua fans on the spot, interacted with the children of the youth training, and everyone rushed to take photos with Wang Wei. It is worth mentioning that Wang Wei had won the Chinese Football Association Cup with the team in 2019 while playing for Shanghai Shenhua. During the halftime break of this game, Xing Jianping, secretary of the Party Branch of the Shanghai Football Association, donated Star Football and Shulaishi sports equipment to the children of the Shanghai Tomato Youth Football Club and the "Blooming Arena" Shanghai Station Youth Group Champions on behalf of the Chinese Football Association Cup Organizing Committee to encourage the children's passion for football. Since its launch, the "Seed Plan" charity action of the Chinese Football Association Cup has brought the joy and dreams of football to many schools and youth training institutions. In the future, the “Seed Project” will continue to expand across the country, allowing more schools and children to enjoy the joy of football, planting the seeds of football dreams for more children, and contributing to the future development of Chinese football.

(Photo source: Visual China)