Qingdao West Coast jumped up like a dark horse at the start of the campaign, winning 2, drawing 1 and losing 1 of their first four matches, with their only defeat coming against the then leaders. They beat Shanghai Shenhua on the road, but it was a short-lived glory. With only 2 wins in their next 17 matches, they quickly fell into the relegation zone, and the departure of coach Hisashi Kurosaki was inevitable.
Replacing Hisashi Kurosaki is 80-year-old former international player Shao Chia-Yi, a controversial personnel change. Despite his impressive credentials in soccer, he was a complete rookie as a coach. A professional coaching certificate has just arrived, and his experience as an assistant coach for the national team has not allowed him to get his hands on the club coaching whip. Some people speculate that this is just a backup for Zheng Zhi, and if Zheng Zhi can't make it, Shao Jiayi will be the second choice.
Shaw's debut, at home against the Cangzhou Lions, the two teams battled to a 1:1, a draw that was not disappointing, but clearly not solid enough for the relegation goal.
Beijing Guoan has always insisted on the belief of competing for the championship, even if it is difficult to realize in reality, this spirit has always inspired the team. This season, although the dream of competing for the title is dashed and the hope of competing for the third place is slim, the spirit of pursuing the first place remains unabated. In the last round of home games against Shanghai Shenhua, if the opponent does not win, the dream of the championship will be completely shattered. In the end, Guoan won 2:1 in Gongtian Stadium, defending their title hopes.
In the latest Chinese Super League standings, Qingdao West Coast has only 4 wins, 6 draws and 12 losses in 22 matches, accumulating 18 points and ranking second from the bottom. There is only a one-point difference with the relegation zone, and a win is needed to stay in the game. Meanwhile, Beijing Guoan, with 12 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses in 22 matches, accumulated 51 points and ranked fourth, despite being 11 points behind the third-place Chengdu Rongcheng, there is still hope to end the season in fourth place.
Qingdao West Coast's recent form has been unstable, with 1 win, 2 draws and 1 loss in the last 4 rounds. Beijing Guoan has also had its ups and downs, with 2 wins and 2 losses in the last 4 rounds, with a significant difference between home and away performances, winning both home games and suffering two consecutive losses on the road.
The two teams have had two previous encounters, last year's AFC Cup 1/8 final, Qingdao West Coast home 1:4 defeat Beijing Guoan; this season's seventh round of the Chinese Super League, Guoan home also 4:1 defeat Qingdao West Coast. In this matchup, Shao Jiayi is naturally eager to beat his former hosts, but the strength gap and the unfavorable factors on the road make the victory out of reach; while Beijing Guoan is strong but has a poor record on the road, and the team's performance is unstable.
