Pingguo Hahong, the soccer steed from the north of the border, is about to embark on an away journey to challenge Sichuan Jiuniu. The Guangxi powerhouse has been on a roll in recent matches, with six consecutive victories making them favorites to overtake. With one third of the schedule to go, they have no distractions and only one goal in mind - to continue their winning streak and sit at the top of the table.
Sichuan Jiuniu lost to Yanbian Longding in the last round, but their 16-point record was enough to put them in the quarterfinals. Back home in Chengdu, they are eager to achieve the feat of winning three games in a row. The match is destined to be full of sparks, while former internationals Zhao Xu Ri and Zou Zheng of Guangxi Pingguo Hahong will also face their old masters in a battle for revenge.
Meanwhile, Nanjing City will host Madandong Tengyue. With the outstanding play of foreign aid player Lionel Messi, they are among the top three with 16 points after defeating Shijiazhuang on the road. Facing the top two teams, Qingdao West Coast will face a tough challenge as they are eager to grab three points to speed up their catching up.
However, the strength of Madandong Tengyue is not to be underestimated. They drew with Qingdao West Coast and Suzhou Dongwu, which is undoubtedly the best proof of their strength. It will not be easy for Nanjing City to win easily.
In the battlefield of the relegation zone, the lowest-ranked Wuxi Wuhu team will face Guangzhou in a do-or-die battle worth six points. Both teams have full Chinese squads and have recently undergone coaching changes. However, Wuxi Wuhu have lost their last five matches, while Guangzhou have been boosted by their first win of the season in the last round of the derby. This match is not only a technical and tactical battle, but also a psychological one. Whether Wuxi Wuhu can win for the first time this season or Guangzhou can continue their winning streak is very much up in the air.
The matchup between Shanghai Jiading Huilong and Liaoning Shenyang City is also a relegation battle. The former has lost six consecutive games and is in a worrying situation, while the latter has not won for six consecutive rounds and is in desperate need of a win to stop the decline. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this battle.
In the other match, Jiangxi Lushan will host Shijiazhuang Kung Fu, who are in shaky form. They will continue to fight for points. Shijiazhuang Kung Fu Team is in a slump after losing three of their last six home games to Nanjing in the last round. They will try to get back on the winning track this time when they travel south to face the bottom-ranked Jiangxi Lushan team.
Promotion horse Dongguan Dongguan United will have a direct confrontation with Suzhou Dongwu. Dongguan Dongguan United won their third game of the season. Although Suzhou Dongwu is a Chinese class team, their strength should not be underestimated. Having scored 15 points and ranked fifth before the match, they are naturally looking forward to adding three more points to their tally in this round of matches.
