Dalian beat Shanghai Shenhua 2-1, while Cangzhou Lions beat Shenzhen by a slim 1-0 margin, marking a temporary break in the 20th round of the Chinese Super League. Looking back at previous rounds, Zhejiang turned back Wuhan Sanzhen 2-1, Shandong Taishan thrashed Meizhou Hakka 6-1, and Beijing Guoan beat Henan 3-1 in a come-from-behind victory. Changchun Yatai drew 1-1 with Nantong Zhiyun, while Qingdao Hainiu beat Chengdu Rongcheng 3-2. As this round of matches came to an end, the standings and rankings underwent subtle changes.
The current standings are as follows: Shanghai Port at the top of the table with 15 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss accumulated 49 points; Shandong Taishan with 9 wins, 8 draws and 3 losses accumulated 35 points ranked second; Shanghai Shenhua with 10 wins, 5 draws and 5 losses accumulated 35 points ranked third; Chengdu Rongcheng with 9 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses accumulated 33 points located in the fourth; Zhejiang and Beijing Guoan tied for the fifth, both with 9 wins, 4 draws and 7 losses accumulated 31 points. It is worth mentioning that Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua both entered the AFC Champions League play-off zone.
From the seventh to the sixteenth place are: Wuhan Sanzhen (7 wins, 9 draws, 4 losses, 30 points), Tianjin Jinmen Tiger (6 wins, 12 draws, 2 losses, 30 points), Changchun Yatai (7 wins, 7 draws, 6 losses, 28 points), Cangzhou Lions (7 wins, 6 draws, 7 losses, 27 points), Qingdao Hainiu (5 wins, 4 draws, 11 losses, 19 points), Henan (4 wins, 7 draws, 9 losses, 19 points), Meizhou Hakka (5 wins Meizhou Hakka (5 wins, 4 draws, 11 losses, 19 points), Dalian Ren (2 wins, 9 draws, 9 losses, 15 points), Nantong Zhiyun (2 wins, 9 draws, 9 losses, 15 points) and Shenzhen (3 wins, 3 draws, 14 losses, 12 points). Among them, Nantong Zhiyun and Shenzhen are on the verge of relegation.
Observing the current situation, Shanghai Port has almost locked up the league title this season by virtue of five consecutive victories. They have a clear lead and are expected to win the title early in the remaining 10 rounds of matches. Shandong Taishan are in strong form, following their 3-goal win over Beijing Guoan in the last round, and another 6-1 win over Meizhou Hakka, which is not to be underestimated. Shanghai Shenhua, on the other hand, seems to be in a precarious position after consecutive losses, and the top three spots may be difficult to secure.
