In the beacon of the 2022 Chinese League One season, the 12th round of fixtures came to a close as of the night of August 1, Beijing time. With the second phase of the schedule halfway through, and nearly a quarter of the overall schedule, the competitive pattern of the season is already emerging. Nantong Zhiyun, Kunshan, Qingdao Hainiu, Sichuan Jiuniu, Shijiazhuang Kungfu, Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic and Heilongjiang Bingcheng are among the teams tentatively in line for the Super League.
On the table, Nantong Zhiyun and Kunshan are like twin dragons, both undefeated with 9 wins and 3 draws, both with a goal difference of 19. They are four points ahead of the third-place team, holding the top two spots in the standings. Both teams have strong lineups and are showing ambition to reach the Chinese Super League. However, with the tight schedule of the season, both teams will probably make adjustments in the upcoming transfer window to strengthen their squad depth in order to avoid running out of steam.
There are a total of three places for the Super League this season, and even though Nantong Zhiyun and Kunshan occupy two of the seats, there is still one last place for direct promotion to the Super League. Sichuan Jiuniu, Shijiazhuang Kungfu and Heilongjiang Bingcheng, members of the Super League group, have been actively seeking reinforcements to improve the overall competitiveness of their teams. Previously, Sichuan Jiuniu and Shijiazhuang Kungfu played with full Chinese teams and achieved good results, this time the lineup reinforcement is undoubtedly intended to stir up the clouds.
Qingdao Hainiu and Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic have not made any significant moves for the time being. Qingdao Hainiu invested a lot in the early part of the season and the results were remarkable. If they want to return to the Chinese Super League, they need to invest more and strengthen their lineup. Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic, on the other hand, is currently aiming for relegation due to stock reform issues. Nonetheless, the Northwest Wolves should not be underestimated, and once the situation improves, there is still a possibility that they will be able to reach the Super League.
In terms of relegation, almost all teams have to consider relegation except for the Super League teams. Beijing Institute of Technology has limited basic strength and no foreign aid available, so the overall competitiveness is weak. For this team, the road to relegation this season is exceptionally difficult, almost locking up a relegation spot.
At the top of the table, there is only a seven-point difference between eighth-placed Jiangxi Beidamen and 17th-placed Liaoning Shenyang City. These teams need to make the most of the next transfer window and upgrade their lineups with reinforcements to increase their chances of relegation.
Shanghai Jiading Huilong has made frequent reinforcement moves recently, registering two foreign players and bringing in a number of strong local players. As a result, Shanghai Jiading Huilong is very likely to rebound fully in the next two stages, and has a great chance to keep its seat in the Central League.
From a comprehensive point of view, Zibo Cuju and Xinjiang Tianshan Snow Leopard have serious problems and are expected to be the favorites for relegation. Zibo Cuju even forfeited the game outright, with the official explanation being that they were "understaffed and unable to play!" The Chinese League One officials ruled that Heilongjiang Bingcheng won 3-0. The details of Zibo Cuju's situation are yet to be known.
Xinjiang Tianshan Snow Leopard had a fair performance in the first stage, but the foundation strength was insufficient and the problems were frequent after the managerial change. The strength of the team's lineup is limited and has entered a fatigue state early. This season's schedule is intensive, if Xinjiang Tianshan Snow Leopard does not make reinforcements in the next transfer window, then the competition will be more difficult in the later stage.
