In this week’s first match, Chongqing Lifan welcome newly promoted Guizhou Zhicheng. Guizhou are yet to win a match this season. Chongqing are two points ahead of the visitors and have five points to their name. Chongqing will be looking to follow up their victory over Jiangsu Suning with another one this week. Guizhou played out a 0-0 draw last time out and will be hoping to hit top gear and secure Super League football for another season.
Second from bottom Changchun Yatai welcome Carlos Tevez and Shanghai Shenhua. Both teams are struggling and the hope to kick start respective campaigns is felt in both camps. Changchun have a single point to show for their efforts this season while Shenhua have just four to their name. Shenhua will be hoping to sort out their defensive issues against one of the bluntest attacks in the league.
Second-placed Shanghai SIPG travel to Quanjian, exerted from their midweek exertions in the AFC Champions League. Shanghai have made an impressive start to the season and will be sweating on the fitness of star-man Hulk. Even in his absence, Shanghai’s attack looks fearsome and will provide a real test to measly defense. Victory for the Fabio Cannavaro led side will propel them above their opponents.
The next two teams have scored a poor 3 goals between them and conceded an incredible 12. Jiangsu Suning and Henan Jianye will looks to set some their problems straight this week and breathe new life into their seasons, or face a protracted relegation battle. Jiangsu will be hoping to replicate their Champions League form, where they have been impeccable, and follow up their runner-ups position last season with another impressive finish.
Shandong Luneng will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat last week, with a win over Beijing Guoan. The Capital club will be no pushovers though. An interesting sub-plot is the battle between Papiss Cisse and Burak Yilmaz who are joint topscorers with 4 goals each. A win for Beijing will firmly cement their place among the Champions League contenders.
China Heibei Fortune will be looking to continue their impressive start to this season’s Super League with a win at goalless Yanbian Funde. Heibei sit an impressive fourth ahead of six-time defending Champions Guangzhou Evergrande. Yanbian have yet to score this season and that may continue this week as they face one of the tightest defenses of this season.
Guangzhou Evergrande travel to Tianjin TEDA hoping to breathe life into a rather slow start to their campaign. Guangzhou sit 5th with 7 points. Tianjin have exceeded expectation so far this season. Guangzhou’s free flowing attack will face the joint stingiest defense in the league. A win for Tianjin will propel them above Guangzhou. Guangzhou are coming off the back of a drab draw in the AFC Champions League and another poor result will heap the pressure on Luiz Felipe Scolari.
In the last match of the week, table-topping Guangzhou R&F travel to Liaoning Whowin. Guangzhou have dropped just 2 points all season and have conceded just 2 goals, both in the last match. Liaoning Whowin will be hoping to bounce back from an unexpected draw against then struggling Changchun Yatai.