Looking at the combined strength of the three opponents, even Hanoi's weakest FC is the current leader of the Vietnamese league. So it's hard for Wuhan Three Town to get out of the Premier League in the form they've been in this season.
In Shandong Taishan, the same group of opponents also includes: Japan's J-League Yokohama Mariners, Kaya FC of the Philippines, and South Korea's J-League team Incheon United.
Among them, Kaya FC is relatively weak, and the other two teams are the roadblocks for Shandong Taishan to get out of the tournament. In particular, Yokohama Marinos, ranked first in the J1 League after 24 rounds with 15 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses and 50 points, will be Shandong Taishan's top competitor. Anderson Lopez, a foreign goal scorer who used to play for Wuhan in the Chinese Super League, is in blistering form with 16 goals in 24 starts.
In comparison, Incheon United is much weaker. Now, after 27 rounds of the K1 League, they are in 6th place with 9 wins, 10 draws, 8 losses and 37 points, 23 points behind Ulsan Hyundai.
It's not hard to see that Shandong Taishan will have a difficult time getting out of the tournament and will have to fight for as many points as possible on Incheon United and Kaya FC.
Zhejiang, who just knocked out Thai Premier League side Thai Port in the play-offs, along with Thai Premier League side Buriram United, Japanese J2 League side A-Fu Kazuhayashi, and Australian Premier League side Melbourne City as opponents.
Among them, Buriram United is ranked third in the Thai Premier League, but the team's trend is still not visible as the Thai Premier League has just played two rounds this season. However, in the Thai Premier League, Buriram United is a traditional strong team.
Kofu Rinbong is a Japanese J2 League team, also known as Japan's second division team, which is equivalent to the Chinese professional league's Central League. And after 31 rounds of matches, they are only ranked 9th with a record of 14 wins, 5 draws, 12 losses and 47 points, 16 points behind the leaders who have played one game less. Although they beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the final of the Emperor's Cup last season to win the title and qualify for the AFC Champions League, it's hard to keep up the hot streak.
The new AFL season hasn't started yet, and Melbourne City doesn't have the latest reference results, but last season, they finished as AFL runners-up and were good.
Overall, Zhejiang's three opponents are relatively weak, and they have the most advantageous exit situation of the three teams in the Super League.
Naturally, no matter which team, it's still a game-by-game battle to get out of the tournament.
