With this round of the tournament coming to an end, the Jiangsu duo are now at 46 and 44 points respectively in the standings. Although there are 16 rounds left in the league, these two teams are expected to challenge and set a new record for Super League points.
Qingdao Manatee Encounters Challenges
The match between Qingdao Hainiu and Sichuan Jiuniu attracted a lot of attention in this round. As the favorites for the Super League, the two teams naturally met in a life-and-death battle worth six points. After a fierce battle, Sichuan Jiu Niu won 2-1 against Qingdao Hainiu with goals from Ma Xiaolei and Edu Garcia, moving up to 35 points and narrowing the gap with Qingdao Hainiu to 4 points. Considering the fact that the two sides still have a second round to play, with 16 rounds left in the league, this 4-point gap is almost negligible.
Although Qingdao Hainiu's foreign aid Onuebu once equalized the score, problems in the defensive end eventually led to the team's loss. After missing three points, Qingdao Hainiu not only widened the gap with Kunshan to five points, but also faced a tight chase from Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic, Sichuan Jiuiuiu and Shijiazhuang Kungfu, with the difference between only four or five points.
It is worth noting that Qingdao Hainiu will face the leader Nantong Jiyun in the next round. After the successive fights with Sichuan Jiuniu, it will be an even tougher test for Nantong Zhiyun. If Qingdao Hainiu fails to win, their lead could be further reduced.
Shaanxi and Shijiazhuang in hot pursuit
In this round, Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic and Shijiazhuang Kung Fu both beat their opponents and moved steadily forward. Shaanxi reached 35 points and continues to be in the top four, only 4 points away from the super region. Shijiazhuang Kung Fu's points have also changed to 34, seeing the hope of entering the Super League.
It is worth mentioning that Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic has already played against Kunshan, Qingdao Hainiu and Sichuan Jiuniu, and the next opponents are relatively weak, so the Northwest Wolves have every chance to consolidate their current rankings and strive to reach the Super League.
In contrast, Shijiazhuang Kung Fu has a much tougher schedule with Qingdao Hainiu and Sichuan Jiuniu, each of which is a tough battle. Sichuan Jiu Niu also faces challenges, in addition to the second round of the match with Qingdao Hainiu, but also with Shijiazhuang Kung Fu to start two rounds of the showdown, in which the next round of the two teams will be head-to-head, which is worth six points of the card battle.
Five teams in relegation trouble
In the relegation zone, Beijing Polytechnic is still winless after 18 rounds of matches, with only 2 points, basically locking up a relegation spot, and may even be relegated to China B early. As for the other two relegation places, it is still unclear. However, from the standings, Xinjiang Tianshan Snow Leopard and Liaoning Shenyang City, ranked 17th and 16th, are the favorites to be relegated.
Beijing Beida and Guangxi Pingguo Hazhong, both with 15 points, have not yet escaped the risk of relegation. The resignation of Guangxi Pingguo Ha Loud and Clear's manager Oscar has become an important turning point for the team. If adjusted properly, it is expected to complete relegation; if not adjusted properly, it may continue to fall into relegation difficulties. Therefore, Guangxi Pingguo Hah Loud and Clear must be carefully considered when choosing a new manager.
