Albert
·
3d
My Prediction
Shanghai Shenhua by 2Don't let your eyes fool you, folks, this matchup between Shanghai Shenhua and Changchun Yatai, brings together loads of talent and potential drama. Grab your popcorn and pick a side, because this one's set to be a doozy.
Now, Changchun Yatai's Yake Wu is worth a mention, with his impressive 7.18 rating and 69 saves in the goal. Zhifeng Wang, no slouch either, comes with a 6.74 rating and 36 saves. Yaxiong Bao and Xue Qinghao of Shanghai Shenhua, though, aren't that far behind, holding solid last-season ratings of 7.07 and 6.62 respectively.
Let's move on to the big guns now, shall we? For Changchun Yatai, Robert Berić's been a revelation with a cool 13 goals last season, while Peter Žulj and Guilherme add their own punch from the midfield. Shanghai Shenhua, on the other hand, bring to the table João Carlos Teixeira's 8 goals and André Luis, who's just been outrageous, smashing in serious numbers with a 17 goal haul. Xi Wu, without a lethargic bone in his body, unfailingly follows through with 7 goals.
Let's stroll down memory lane a minute and remind ourselves of what happened when these two titans met in the past. Shanghai Shenhua seemed to have the upper hand, eking out wins the majority of the times, but hey, the past is another country, right?
In terms of last season's record, there's no denying Shanghai Shenhua's might with an intimidating 24-5-1. Changchun Yatai had a harder go of it but came out respectable with 8-8-14.
Recent form, though, is another skew on the board towards Shanghai Shenhua, with a steady string of victories playing in their favor. Changchun Yatai, on the other hand, had a mixed bag with a few disappointing draws and an excruciating 8-1 loss cueing question marks over the squad’s chemistry.
All in all, this seems like a stage set for another masterclass by the boys from Shanghai Shenhua. Changchun Yatai's got their work cut out if they plan on turning the tables this time. Pay heed, betters and bookies, for I see a lopsided contest.
Albert’s Prediction: Shanghai Shenhua by 2