On October 5, the night was low, the clock struck 19:30, and the 21st round of the 2022 Chinese Super League, the summit match between Shanghai Seaport and Beijing Guoan was passionately staged at the Dalian Sports Center Stadium.
[Shanghai Harbor]
In the first 18 rounds of the Chinese Super League (CSL), Shanghai Seaport ranked fourth in the league with 34 points from a record of 10 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses. After recovering from a double header of home and away matches, Seaport has won 5 and drawn 3 of their last 8 matches, winning all three in a row. They have won 4 and drawn 1 of their 5 home matches at the Dalian Sports Center, of which they haven't conceded a goal in any of the last three home matches. Seaport is undefeated for eight consecutive rounds and has the highest ranking so far this season, only 13 points behind leader Sanzhen and only two points away from city rival Shenhua in the AFC Champions League. This is Seaport's last home game of the season, and if they win and Shenhua fails to take the lead, Seaport is expected to leapfrog into the AFC Champions League.
In the pre-match conference, Coach Leko said: "This match is crucial for both us and our opponent. Beijing Guoan is a very strong team and has been in excellent form recently, so the outcome of this match will depend on which of the two sides is in better form. We have to be at our best against them and try to limit their strengths and exploit their weaknesses. We have five to six days to prepare for this match and hope to present a serious and exciting game tomorrow."
[Beijing Guoan]
In the first 18 rounds of the Chinese Super League, Beijing Guoan accumulated 27 points with 7 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses, ranking ninth in the league. Guoan won 1 and drew 2 in the last three rounds, won 1, drew 2 and lost 1 in four away games this season, and won 1 and drew 1 in the last two away games. Guoan is 16 points ahead of the relegation zone and 9 points behind the AFC Champions League. Guoan has only lost 1 game in the last 6 rounds, and its form has picked up. However, due to their poor record and fluctuating performance this season, it is extremely difficult for Guoan to qualify for the AFC Champions League. If they win on the road against Seaport, they are expected to move up to 7th place. If Guoan doesn't win this game, they will continue to stabilize in the middle of the table.
In the pre-match conference, Coach Stanley said, "Every time we play against a top team it's a pleasant thing, I think Harbor is one of the top teams in China and we need to play against a strong team like them to test our training level. We have prepared well for this game and are also polishing our tactics. The most important thing is to prepare for the next game and deploy accordingly for the next opponent. Of course, it is also important to polish our playing style, so that the players can understand my technical and tactical playing style, and establish our own tactical playing style may be more important than what opponent we face. In the last few days, we first study the Harbor as an opponent, and then consider Shandong after this game."
[Historical encounter]
Shanghai Seaport and Beijing Guoan have played 23 times in the history of the Chinese Super League (CSL) and the Football Association Cup (F.A.C. Cup), with Seaport winning 10, drawing 5 and losing 8. In the Chinese Super League, the two sides have met 20 times, with 9 wins, 5 draws and 6 losses for Seaport. Shanghai Seaport is undefeated in their last three matches against Guoan, with 1 win and 2 draws.
[Projected debut]
Shanghai Harbour: 1-Yan Junling; 2-Li Ang, 13-Wei Zhen, 3-Jiang Guangtai; 11-Lv Wenjun, 6-Cai Huikang, 16-Xu Xin, 4-Wang Shenchao; 24-Vargas, 9-Paulinho, 7-Wu Lei
Beijing Guoan: 14-Zou Dehai; 17-Jiang Xiangyou, 22-Yu Dabao, 5-Memishevich, 27-Wang Gang; 6-Chi Zhongguo; 20-Wang Ziming, 10-Zhang Xizhe, 15-Gao Tianyi, 30-Daburo; 9-Zhang Yuning.
