While the majority of top leagues across Europe have come to an end, there are plenty of others across the globe that are continuing to thrive - including the Chinese Super League. There’s so much to get excited about in China’s top tier and in the weeks and months ahead, there’s still a lot of football to be played. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the upcoming clash between Beijing Guoan and Nantong Zhiyun.
Beijing Form GuideBeijing have always been seen as one of the biggest teams in Chinese football but last season, their second half of the campaign steered them away from a title push. It’s a shame, too, because they had the kind of squad that was capable of making a sustained challenge - and this time around, the hope is that they’ve improved enough to warrant another surge.
So far, so good for Beijing. They’ve been on a solid trajectory this season and at this moment in time, they sit in 4th place with seven wins, four draws and two losses to their name. However, it’s worth noting that they’re winless in their last two, and we know what they’re like when they lose their confidence.
Nantong Form GuideBy the time the dust settled last season, Nantong Zhiyun fans were just happy to still be in the top flight. In truth, they probably would’ve gone down in most other seasons, but Shenzhen and Dalian’s terrible form ensured that they were spared. Ultimately, as embarrassing as that was, they’ve got the chance to prove that they’ve been able to learn from their mistakes.
We may be under half way through the season, but it does feel like Nantong are in a little bit of trouble - or, at the very least, have the potential to spiral. They have just two wins in 13 thus far and while they have picked up draws in two of their last three, there isn’t much to be excited about on the pitch.
Match PredictionSometimes, you just have to throw form out of the window - but in other instances, you have to examine the overall quality of both teams and make a judgement call. In this case, we think it’s the latter instead of the former, which is why we’re going to predict a Beijing victory.
