With the FA Cup coming to an end, the 13th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) will reignite the passion on June 28th at 19:35 when Shanghai Shenhua hosts Nantong Zhiyun. With Shenhua's successive wins in June, Dai Weijun's transfer rumors have been abuzz, and even though no official announcement has been made and the transfer window has not yet opened, Dai Weijun is expected to suit up and play alongside the team in July.
Shanghai Shenhua's lineup is in for a major shakeup. In goal, Bao Yaxiong is expected to continue his heroics, while the suspended Ma Zhen is out for the time being. Jiang Shenglong in the back line is out due to injury, Jin Yangyang will be partnered with Zhu Chenjie. Nantong Zhiyun's attacking strategy is based on fast counter-attacks, and Romario Barde's speed puts Shenhua's center backs under pressure.
All 5 foreigners in Shenhua's squad are available for the game, among which Bassogo has recovered his physical condition and his speed and counter-attacking ability is expected to improve the team's attacking efficiency. Although Shenhua took the lead with a 1-0 strategy in the Super League, the FA Cup match against the B team was quite tough, with a lack of offense and a major reliance on counter-attacks.
Right back Yan Xinli's form is gradually warming up, and left back Cui Back has been injured for many days, so Wu Jingui chose to let Eddie play as a guest left back. Midfield Amadou, Wang Haijian and Teixeira partner, relatively balanced in attack and defense, Yu Hanchao, Malelai and Xu Hoyang form a trident, is expected to score for the fifth time this season.
Cao Yunding and Yu Hanchao are the two pillars of Shenhua's offense. Although Cao Yunding's performance is slightly inferior to Hanchao's, Nantong Zhiyun's defensive counter-attacking strategy is not unfamiliar to Shenhua. If they can beat Nantong Zhiyun, Shenhua is expected to win all their matches in June, and continue to stay in the second place of the Chinese Super League, and make a push for the title.
The next few games will decide the fate of the Chinese Super League and Shenhua. They will face Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, Zhejiang and Shandong Taishan and each game will be a test. in July, Dai Weijun is expected to make his debut and bring a change in Shenhua's offense up front. The team has no plans to bring in new foreign aid for the time being, and is currently second in the table with 25 points, with only one game separating them from Chengdu. The FA Cup loss has made Wu Jingui realize that the tactics need to be adjusted, and more attacking means and goals from players such as Mallet, Yu Hanchao and Teixeira will be the key for the team to win the title.
