In yet another thrilling battle between the two Beijing-Shanghai powerhouses, Guoan's team shifted their strategic focus to the FA Cup, while Shenhua's team is under heavy pressure to win the league title, perhaps Shenhua will choose to give up the FA Cup at the tactical level. To everyone's surprise, China League One rivals Nanjing City created a surprise in the quarterfinals, beating Qingdao Sea Cowboys 2-0, with Ogbu scoring twice. Next up, they will face Chengdu Rongcheng in the quarterfinals with a challenge on the horizon. Shandong Taishan and Chengdu Rongcheng are strong teams in the bottom half of the bracket and are expected to advance to the semifinals, but must be wary of possible surprises.
This round's marquee match between Tianjin Jinmenhu and Changchun Yatai had its ups and downs. Jinmen Tigers took the lead at one point, but Changchun Yatai scored two goals in just two minutes to defeat Jinmen Tigers 3-4. Shanghai Seaport beat Zhejiang 2-1 to advance to the quarterfinals with Jinmen Tiger. Yu Genwei completed his redemption with the help of foreign aid. This year, Seaport is playing on two fronts, aiming for a double championship. Zhejiang fielded five foreigners in this match and hoped for good luck. However, Li Shenglong's header and Vargas' individual breakthrough shattered Jordy's dream of winning the title. Up to now, Harbor has yet to suffer a defeat.
Zhejiang topped the popularity rankings of the teams in this round of the FA Cup. However, they are slightly inferior in the technical aspect. Harbor and Shandong Taishan, on the other hand, regard the FA Cup as a stage for winning the championship. Especially this year's Shandong Taishan team is in dire need of a title to clear the haze, while the Choi Kang-hee-coached team is eager to break the curse. As for the AFC Cup, both Guoan and Shenhua have an underdog mentality, and their rotating lineups almost caused a major disaster. Harbor and Shenhua's main goal this year is to win the CSL title, while Guoan, Chengdu Rongcheng and Shandong Taishan are hoping to qualify directly for the AFC Champions League through the FA Cup.
