Alright, let's cremate this Chinese Super League parsnip. On one hand, we have Shenzhen City, who've somehow convinced the universe to favor them by 1.5 points even though their recent results appear less inspiring than a ride on a public bus during rush hour. Their goalkeeper Shi Zhao, bless his heart, has managed a decent 7.20 rating and six saves.
Meanwhile, Nantong Zhiyun has their own six-save goalkeeping ace, Xue Qinghao, strutting around with a 6.90 rating, which isn't exactly gold medal material but hey, we work with what we got. Their recent results also have the consistency of a yo-yo, so they're not riding a stallion into this one either.
When it comes down to the on-field heavyweights, Nantong Zhiyun has some weight to throw around with guys like Issa Kallon, Farley Rosa, and Izuchukwu Jude Anthony. These gents enjoy hogging the ball more than a kid with his favorite toy, with accuracy percentages living large in the high 80s and beyond.
On the flip side, Shenzhen City's got a few town heroes in Rade Dugalić, Tiago Leonço, and Eden Karzev who don't shy away from the limelight. Leonço even managed to fire off a shot on goal, heaven forbid.
As for past encounters, the last time these two locked horns, Shenzhen City squeaked through with a 1-0 victory, a memory that probably makes Nantong Zhiyun see red. So, there's that.
If you insist on numbers, Shenzhen City's 6-8-15 regular season record seems to have a slight edge over Nantong Zhiyun's uninspiring 5-7-17 offering, but remember folks, we're talking about as much "edge" as a bowling ball here.
So, with all this information, it seems logical that the universe picked favorite here for a reason, but by a close-ish margin. Drumroll please:
Albert’s Prediction: Shenzhen City by 2
