On July 11th and 12th, the 16th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) will be held as scheduled, with eight exciting matches to be played in two match days. There are many highlights in this round of matches, among which the match between Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua is particularly eye-catching. The head coaches of the two teams, Cui Kangxi and Wu Jingui, this match is full of "war old master" drama; and the defending champion Wuhan three towns and leading Shanghai seaport showdown, undoubtedly the focus of the round of the battle.
Under the leadership of Wu Jingui, Shanghai Shenhua has made steady progress this season and is currently second on the table. The excellent team defense is the key to their good performance. In this round of matches, the team's main goalkeeper Ma Zhen will come back soon, undoubtedly reinforcing a layer of "steel barriers" for their defense. After Cui Kangxi took over the Taishan team, he led the team to 5 wins and 3 draws, and climbed to the fifth place in the ranking. In this matchup, Cui Kangxi is expected to help the team achieve satisfactory points in the city of springs with the return of Cressan, Zheng Zheng and Liu Yang. For Wu Jingui, this game is also an emotional battle against his old boss, and the "emotion" factor cannot be ignored.
Shanghai Seaport has been riding high this season, but two consecutive draws before the end of the first half and internal conflicts have affected the team's recent performance. They face a tough battle against defending champions Wuhan Sanzhen. Although Wuhan Sanzhen's form has fluctuated this season, the team's adjustments under new coach Mian Takada have paid off, and they finally got their first home win in the last round. With this momentum, they will start a blockade battle in Shanghai.
In other matches, Chengdu Rongcheng, undefeated in 27 matches across the season, has hit a low point and needs to adjust its mentality after two consecutive losses. Against Henan, the team is expected to stop the decline at home. Cangzhou Lions and Tianjin Jinmen Tigers are also worth watching, as the two teams drew in the first round. Changchun Yatai hosts Zhejiang, with Leonardo's ability to break his goal drought in the spotlight. Meizhou Hakka beat Chengdu Rongcheng in the last round, and will try to keep a point at home against Beijing Guoan. With Meizhou Hakka emerging in the relegation circle, the "Relegation Four" - Nantong Zhiyun, Shenzhen, Qingdao Hainiu and Dalian Ren - will face a battle to the death. Qingdao Hainiu is expected to face Shenzhen at home, while Dalian Ren will face off with Nantong Zhiyun, with both sides eager to grab three crucial points.
