July 30, 1919, the night of Beijing time: the 19th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL), a much-anticipated top-flight showdown is about to take place, as two historic Chinese Super League giants meet on the field of play, with Beijing Guoan facing Shandong Luneng Taishan on the road.
After the first 18 rounds of the competition, Beijing Guoan accumulated 28 points with 7 wins, 7 draws and 4 losses, temporarily ranking sixth in the Chinese Super League standings. The gap between them and the top four of the Chinese Super League is 1 point, and the distance between them and the top of the list of Shanghai Harbor is 15 points. Although Guoan's hope for the top four is still alive, their chances of winning the Super League title this season are slim to none.
It's worth noting that with the addition of powerful new recruit Abreu, Beijing Guoan's recent form has improved significantly. Facing the powerful Shandong Luneng, this is undoubtedly a severe test of Guoan's fighting strength. In order to ensure the momentum of the winning streak, new coach Luis Suarez will surely go all out to create an elite starting lineup for Shandong Luneng. Below is a brief prediction of the possible starting lineup for Guoan.
In the goalkeeper position, the unbeaten star Han Jiaqi will continue to guard the Guoan goal; in the back line, Suarez may adjust the relatively stable 4-back formation, Wang Gang, Bo Yang, Ngadeu and local veteran Zhang Chengdong will form the starting four backs. Among them, Bo Yang and Ngadeu partner double center backs; Zhang Chengdong and Wang Gang will play as side backs respectively.
In the midfield, it is expected that the naturalized player Li Ke will continue to serve as the main back to intercept and steal, and the double back to partner with him will be foreign aid Ademi. Double back front, local midfield core Zhang Xizhe is expected to make a strong comeback, and South Korean midfielder Kang Xiangyu composed of the front attack double core. They are responsible for organizing the attack in the midfield, delivering shells and providing support for Guoan's forwards.
Up front, powerful newcomer Abreu is expected to take the lead again; he will be partnered by local striker Yu Dabao. Abreu has performed well since joining the team, and he will remain the key to Beijing Guoan's victory in this match.
In a comprehensive analysis, the expected starting lineup for Beijing Guoan against Shandong Luneng is: Han Jiaqi; Wang Gang, Bo Yang, Ngaardew and Zhang Chengdong; Li Ke, Ademi, Zhang Xunzhe and Jiang Xiangyou; Yu Dabao and Abreu.
