Exhibition match pro side Shenzhen Ruby FC (B team) – Inter Shenzhen FC: 8-2

Shenzhen Ruby FC "Reserve" team – Inter Shenzhen FC: 8-2

Shenzhen Ruby team line up: 3-4-3 

(in braket numbers of games played so far in CSL this season). 

Some of them are young and you might see them become really good players for the next few years.

Shining (0)

ShiYong (0), HuanXin (0), YuanLin (7, but play regular first team for the last 8 years)

ZhaoJiang (0) ZhouShenYuan (0), Liyi (0 retired, but played CSL for the last 10 years with more than 40 caps for national team), Zhang GuoFeng (1)  

Waili (5), LiuDeWei (0), Wang Xiao (0).

Came in 2nd half: He Yichen (0), Laijing (9), Li JiaHe (6), Zhang Yu (0)

The stage was set for a great football night. Perfect weather, top grass pitch and lighting conditions, a top referee with two linesman and another 4th official, what do you want or need more to play football and enjoy yourself ?? Just what you would expect from a professional team setting up this friendly match for and with us. 

We came out with 16 players, some on time and some a little late. The preparation was therefore a little half hearted, team talk and warm up reduced to a minimum. Anyway, we started with a 4-5-1 formation in order to try to absorb the expected pressure coming from their midfield. It was expected that the entire defense line will get the full force of Shenzhen Ruby, and it came just like that. The first 20 minutes Inter Shenzhen did not see much of the ball and were forced into our own half, or better say into our own box. The Rubies showed great skills in fast passing and movement, they kept the ball with one-touch football in their ranks waiting for the moment to send their strikers upfront, carrying the ball very determined towards our box. Our attempt to follow the ball or the player made the Inter players in return tiring, and ultimately strength fading away.

The first three goals were all resulting from individual melt-downs not having the power and concentration anymore to clear the ball despite possession from our own box far away, balls were intercepted in our own back yard and from that distance it was easy tap ins for the Rubies. The speed, relentless pressure and physical fitness of the Rubies paid their toll on the amateur Inter players with heavy legs in those beginning minutes. 

It took us nearly 20-25 minutes to adapt to the slower grass pitch with our passing and to the fast speed of the opponent to take a little grip of the game ourselves and for the rest of the first half we could hold on better, even managed to bring the ball into the Rubies half and in some scarce occasions even into their box. But playing with only one central striker with little help coming from the midfield it proved very difficult to break the Rubies as their defense was standing formidable. Nevertheless we could hold our grounds in defense and midfield better during this period and had some decent build-ups in midfield, but with harmless outcome upfront.

The second half the by then already battered Inter players were better prepared at least mentally to what will come at them, and the blocking in midfield and defense was more effective. Further goals came mostly from very well placed long distance shots and were not played out as a sort of credit to our defense line. Perhaps some of the goals could have been kept clean, but…

The second period of the second half after the score line was 8-0 was perhaps the best one for Inter Shenzhen. Some 15-10 minutes to go perhaps the Ruby players were tired themselves or just got bored, Inter somehow managed to have a greater deal of the game. We possessed by then the ball better and pushed the entire game more into the Rubies half. For sure they were very surprised when at one occasion Luis took the ball some 20 yeards from their goal in a soft but well placed volley into their left lower side of the goal. The stunning effect then continued some 5 minutes left to the finishing whistle with Ike going one-on-one with the Rubies central defender, fooling him with a nice back heel trick in their box and smashing the ball in the right corner of the goal. Both goals were so well taken that their pro goalkeeper had no chance of getting it. 

It was more than a consolation price, it was proof that we could have done more that night. Could, should,.. whatever… Most of the 8 goals conceded were not meant to be conceded. A bit more concentration and a bit better goalkeeping could have easily reduced the score sheet to half of what it then finally was. But again, that night was not about the score line anyway, it was about enjoying ourselves and play football to the best of our abilities. And we did just that, EVERYONE!

Thanks to all the Shenzhen Ruby FC players and managers Philippe Troussier and David Camhi for setting up this venue for us and hopefully we can play this side some time soon again, and should be better prepared for that one by then. At least mentally most of our lads have now a better idea, and physically, well, we need to train more and harder to come somewhere near the Rubies… but after all they are professional and we are amateurs.

Thanks to all the 16 players, some had more playing time and some less, but we needed them all that night. 

Thanks as well for Max who came out despite having a bad knee and video taping and taking professional pictures from the entire venue. Soon those media will be available for us on this website as a good memory.

All in all it was a very good night!!