The match between Qingdao Hainiu FC and Shandong Taishan FC is scheduled to take place from November 22nd to 24th if everything goes according to order. By that time, the Chinese Super League will have come to an end and the Chinese League One will have come to an end. Taishan's priority is to secure a place in the fierce promotion battle. In terms of overall strength and lineup, Taishan has a significant advantage. As the defending champions, Taishan will go all out for a good performance and will not take every game lightly.
If Taishan can beat Qingdao Hainiu, their 1/8 final opponent will be the winner of the match between Zibo Cuju and Shenzhen. Zibo Cuju is in the middle of the pack in this season's Central League, with a number of players from Luneng Taishan's youth camp, including top scorer Ji Shengpan, as well as starters Zhang Yuanshu, Ma Shuai and Zhang Chen. Shenzhen's overall strength is slightly better than Zibo's, and the key is whether they want to go further in the AFC Cup, which is undoubtedly the focus of the match. On the other hand, Tai'an Tian Kuang and Jinan Xingzhou are both expected to be among this year's AFC Cup. According to the regulations, the top three teams of this season's China B League can obtain the qualification of the AFC Cup, and both Tai'an Tian Kuang and Jinan Xingzhou have entered the ranks of the first division, and are expected to shine on the road of competing for the top three places. If they can win the championship, the two teams will appear in the match with Changchun Yatai, Wuhan Sanzhen and Cangzhou Lions respectively, which is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to improve. While the top half of the table is increasingly competitive with the top four teams in the Chinese Super League, the bottom half of the table is relatively clear. Shandong Taishan are in the same division as Super League leaders Wuhan Sanzhen, and under normal circumstances, the two teams would meet in the quarter-finals and compete for a place in the quarter-finals through a two-legged battle. Wuhan Sanzhen, as the favorites to win the Chinese Super League this season, have a squad thick enough to handle a double-header, and will face the runners-up of the Chinese B League in the first round with a full Chinese squad, which will be a tough test. If they advance, Sanzhen will face the winner of the match between Kunshan and Tianjin Jinmen Tigers. In addition to Shandong Taishan and Wuhan Three Town, Henan Songshan Longmen and Shanghai Shenhua are also among the first half of the F.A.C.A. Cup, marking the current stage of the Chinese Super League four gathered. The first round opponent of Henan Songshan Longmen is Guangxi Pingguo Hazhong, while Shanghai Shenhua will face Jiangxi Beidamen. The two teams are expected to meet each other in the 1/8 finals to fight for a place in the top 8, and the game will be even more intense.
In contrast, the competition in the bottom half of the zone is much clearer. Shanghai Seaport played against Nanjing City in the first round, and in terms of the overall lineup, Seaport has a clear advantage in the bottom half of the zone. In particular, the addition of Wu Lei, Vargas, Jiang Guangtai, etc. has made Seaport more competitive in the F.A.C. Cup. However, if Seaport wants to advance to the final again, they still need to face the challenges of Chengdu Rongcheng, Dalian Ren and Zhejiang. The first round matchup between Dalian Ren and Zhejiang is also worth watching, as the two teams are close in strength, and Dalian Ren is looking forward to making a difference in the AFC Cup after strengthening their foreign aid. Beijing Guoan and Guangzhou City were lucky in the draw, and will face the Chinese Champions League teams in the first round, making it not too difficult for them to advance. Overall, there is no doubt about the strength of the Chinese Super League teams, but there are always accidents in the AFC Cup, which is the unique charm of the Cup. Moreover, the AFC Cup has a dark horse award every year, which is a great incentive for the teams in the lower leagues. Taishan is striving for a third consecutive F.A.C.A. Cup title, and every game is a challenge, the key is to do well. Given that the F.A.C.A. Cup matches will not be played until November, Taishan need to focus on the Chinese Super League at this stage. The home match against Shenzhen, scheduled for September 9, has been postponed, and the Shenzhen team will not be able to arrive in Jinan for the match. Since 4 days, Taishan team has resumed training at the base, Fellaini, Cressan, Song Long and other key players need to recover as soon as possible, with a view to stabilizing in future matches, they are crucial to the technical and tactical layout of the Taishan team.
