In the 20th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL), Dalian narrowly beat Shanghai Shenhua 2-1, while Cangzhou Lions beat Shenzhen 1-0 in a battle that was full of smoke and mirrors. In previous matches, Zhejiang beat Wuhan Sanzhen 2-1, Shandong Taishan swept Meizhou Hakka 6-1, Beijing Guoan made a 3-1 turnaround, Changchun Yatai shook hands with Nantong Zhiyun 1-1, and Qingdao Hainiu beat Chengdu Rongcheng 3-2. The standings and rankings were then subtly changed.
Let's have a glimpse:
On the table, Shanghai Port led the way with 15 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss, accumulating 49 points; Shandong Taishan had 9 wins, 8 draws and 3 losses, accumulating 35 points; Shanghai Shenhua had 10 wins, 5 draws and 5 losses, accumulating 35 points; Chengdu Rongcheng had 9 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses, accumulating 33 points; Zhejiang had 9 wins, 4 draws and 7 losses, accumulating 31 points; and Beijing Guoan had 8 wins, 7 draws and 5 losses, accumulating 31 points. Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua advanced to the AFC Champions League playoffs.
The seventh to sixteenth ranked teams in order are: Wuhan Sanzhen 7 wins, 9 draws and 4 losses, accumulating 30 points; Tianjin Jinmen Tiger 6 wins, 12 draws and 2 losses, accumulating 30 points; Changchun Yatai 7 wins, 7 draws and 6 losses, accumulating 28 points; Cangzhou Lions 7 wins, 6 draws and 7 losses, accumulating 27 points; Qingdao Haixiniu 5 wins, 4 draws and 11 losses, accumulating 19 points; Henan team 4 wins, 7 draws and 9 losses, accumulating 19 points; Meizhou Hakka 5 wins, 4 draws and 11 losses, accumulating 19 points; Dalian people 2 wins, 9 draws, 9 losses, 15 points; Nantong Zhiyun 2 wins, 9 draws, 9 losses, 15 points; Shenzhen team 3 wins, 3 draws, 14 losses, 12 points. Nantong Zhiyun and Shenzhen fell into the relegation zone.
Analyzing the current situation, Shanghai Port, with five consecutive victories, has almost locked up the league title with a huge lead and is expected to win the title 10 rounds ahead of schedule. Shandong Taishan has a strong momentum after beating Guoan and Meizhou Hakka. Shanghai Shenhua, on the other hand, has lost consecutively and is in a precarious position. The competition for the top three places is getting fiercer and fiercer.
