From July 21 to 23, the Chinese Super League will play the 18th round of eight matches in three match days. This round of matches has no shortage of marquee matches. The top two teams in Shanghai will face a strong challenge. The poor Henan will host Nantong Zhiyun in a crucial relegation battle. Traditional powerhouses Taishan and Zhejiang will also go head-to-head.
After 17 rounds of matches, Shanghai Harbor leads the table with a clear advantage of 6 points. Although there is news of disharmony between the head coach and individual foreigners, it is undeniable that Harbour is still the first team to show the championship stage. In the 18th round, they will face the challenge of the "July Lions". The Cangzhou Lions are in good form this July, with an undefeated record of 2 wins and 2 draws, winning against two top opponents in Zhejiang and Chengdu. They are also expected to give Harbor a run for their money as they are the leaders in this away game.
The away game against Changchun Yatai is a very crucial game for Shanghai Shenhua. If they are 6 points behind in the same city, they have to take 3 points from Changchun if they want to keep winning the title. Shenhua's form has fluctuated a lot this July, with 2 wins and 2 losses in 4 matches. Fortunately for them, Han Chao and other veterans played an important role in the crucial period, which was their biggest guarantee to win. However, playing in Changchun is not easy, since this season, Yatai has only lost twice at home, and the result of the match will also directly affect the trend of this season's championship.
Henan won for the fourth consecutive time this July, returning home to face promoted Manantong Zhiyun. Henan is currently fourth from bottom with 15 points, just two points ahead of Nantong, and already far from the edge of the relegation circle. This duel can also be regarded as a "battle of 6 points". It's worth noting that in the last four games in July, all the teams that played against Nantong Zhiyun received red cards, which seems to be a curse. In Zhengzhou, Henan can break this curse, which is one of the highlights of this round.
In other games, the old showdown between Zhejiang and Taishan is one of the highlights. In this match, one or two starters of Taishan's Jadason and Li Yuan are facing suspensions, and Fellaini is expected to make a comeback. Due to the principle of avoidance, the in-form Lennardo will not be able to represent Zhejiang in this match. Tianjin Jinmen Tigers are expected to get back on the winning track when they host Shenzhen, who have both internal and external problems. Dalian Ren will be looking to score away from home against in-form Chengdu Rongcheng. Beijing Guoan has no reason to take Qingdao Hainiu, who have won two in a row, lightly. Wuhan Sanzhen and Meizhou Hakka will finish their match on the 23rd.
