In a heated Beijing-Shanghai clash, with Guoan focusing on the FA Cup and Shenhua carrying the weight of winning the league, perhaps Shenhua will adopt a conservative strategy and abandon the FA Cup race. Surprisingly, Nanjing City of the Central League created a miracle in the quarterfinals, beating Qingdao Hainiu 2-0, with Ogbu scoring twice. The challenge is on the horizon as they meet Chengdu Rongcheng in the next quarterfinal. Shandong Taishan and Chengdu Rongcheng are strong teams in the bottom half and are expected to advance to the semifinals, but will need to be wary of unexpected situations.
The highlight of this round was the match between Tianjin Jinmen Tigers and Changchun Yatai. Jinmen Tigers took the lead once, but Changchun Yatai scored twice in just two minutes, and finally lost 3-4 to Jinmen Tigers. Shanghai Seaport beat Zhejiang 2-1 to advance to the quarterfinals with Jinmen Tiger. Yu Genwei completed his redemption with the help of foreigners, and Seaport's goal this year is to win the championship on both fronts. Despite Zhejiang's use of five foreigners, Li Shenglong's headers and Vargas' breakthroughs shattered the opponents' Jordy's dreams. So far, Seaport's performance is perfect.
The teams in this round of the FA Cup are performing well, with Zhejiang being a fan favorite but a bit lacking in technical skills. Harbor and Shandong Taishan teams regard the FA Cup title as an important goal. Shandong Taishan, in particular, is in desperate need of a title to erase last year's haze, while the team coached by Choi Kang-hee is eager to break the curse. Guoan and Shenhua were slightly underestimated in the FA Cup, but fortunately the rotated lineups didn't lead to a rollover. Harbour and Shenhua are aiming to win the CSL title this year, while Guoan, Chengdu Rongcheng and Shandong Taishan are hoping to fight for a place in the AFC Champions League through the FA Cup.
