Shanghai Shenhua will travel to face Sichuan Jiuniu in the Chinese Super League this Saturday, October 24th, with kick-off at 15:30 local time at Shenzhen Stadium. The team heads into the match buoyed by a 3-1 away victory over Wuhan Three Towns in their last outing on October 18th. Their recent form across the last five matches shows one win, two draws, and two losses, but the latest win provides a timely boost.
Building on momentum
Last weekend's win was a confident display. Luís Asué opened the scoring after just two minutes. Although Wuhan equalized in the second half, Rafael Ratão restored the lead from the penalty spot in the 67th minute, and Han Jiawen added a third in stoppage time to seal the 3-1 result. This victory ended a run of four consecutive matches without a win in all competitions.
Rafael Ratão has been key this season, leading the team's scoring charts with 19 goals in 28 appearances. His form will be key as Shenhua look to secure all three points. The team's recent results include a 0-0 AFC Champions League Two draw away to Svay Rieng on October 15th and a resounding 7-1 league win against Yunnan Yukun at home on October 10th. The record of one win, two draws, and two defeats from their last five outings highlights the need for consistency.
Opponent watch
Sichuan Jiuniu's last match was a 2-2 home draw with Henan Jianye on October 9th, giving them an extra week of preparation. They currently sit in the lower half of the league table, making this a fixture Shenhua will target for a win to improve their own standing.
In the win over Wuhan, Shenhua lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Xue Qinghao in goal, a back four of Wilson Manafá, Jin Shunkai, Zhu Chenjie, and Yang Zexiang. The midfield pivot consisted of Gao Tianyi and Wu Xi, supporting an attacking trio of Asué, João Carlos Teixeira, and Xie Pengfei behind striker Ratão. This lineup is likely to see minimal changes for the upcoming fixture.
October has been a busy month for Shenhua, including a 0-0 AFC Champions League Two draw away to Svay Rieng on the 15th and a resounding 7-1 league win against Yunnan Yukun at home on the 10th. The match against Sichuan Jiuniu marks the beginning of the final push in the league campaign.
