On July 21 at 19:35, the 24th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) features a key match with Beijing Guoan hosting Tianjin Jinmen Tiger at their home ground. The former, having played one less game, trails third place by eight points, while the latter, in seventh place, has little to play for.
Beijing Guoan’s season has been a mixed bag so far, with ten wins, four draws, and five losses after nineteen rounds, placing them fourth in the standings with 34 points. While their overall performance has been commendable, they trail Shanghai Port, the league leaders, by a significant 17 points, effectively ending any title aspirations. They also lag 15 points behind second-placed Shanghai Shenhua, making it a tough challenge to qualify for next season’s AFC Champions League.
In June, Beijing Guoan won four out of five games, including a 2-0 victory over their arch-rivals Shandong Taishan. However, July saw a stark contrast, with a 1-2 loss to Wuhan Three Towns and a crushing 1-5 defeat against league leaders Shanghai Port, resulting in two consecutive league losses. Although they advanced to the quarterfinals of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win over Wuxi Wugou, their overall form has been unsatisfactory.
Beijing Guoan’s offensive capabilities can be described as average, scoring 36 goals in nineteen rounds, averaging just 1.89 goals per game. In comparison, Chengdu Rongcheng scored 46 goals, Shanghai Shenhua 44, and Shanghai Port an impressive 59 during the same period, highlighting the gap between Beijing Guoan and the top three teams.
The defensive end also has room for improvement, conceding 25 goals in nineteen rounds, averaging 1.3 goals conceded per game. Compared to Chengdu Rongcheng (six fewer conceded), Shanghai Port (eight fewer conceded), and the best defense in the league, Shanghai Shenhua (seventeen fewer conceded), Beijing Guoan’s defense aligns with their fourth-place ranking.
Tianjin Jinmen Tiger has not replicated last season’s surprise performance but still managed six wins, six draws, and seven losses after nineteen rounds, placing them seventh with 24 points. While challenging for the top three spots seems unlikely, they lead the second-to-last team, Qingdao West Coast, by eight points, securing their safety from relegation. In their last ten games, Tianjin Jinmen Tiger won four, lost four, and drew three, achieving a win rate of just 40%, which is not particularly strong.
Tianjin Jinmen Tiger’s goal-scoring ability is also average, netting 29 goals in nineteen games, averaging 1.5 goals per game. They conceded 26 goals during the same period, comparable to Beijing Guoan, indicating they are a team with a weak offense but solid defense.
In their last ten home games, Beijing Guoan won seven, drew one, and lost two, achieving a win rate of 70%. Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, on the other hand, won five, drew one, and lost four in their last ten home games, with a win rate of 50%. In their last ten meetings, Beijing Guoan has dominated with six wins, three draws, and one loss. If we only consider CSL matches at Worker’s Stadium, Beijing Guoan has remained undefeated in the last nineteen encounters, winning ten and drawing nine!
Undoubtedly, both Beijing Guoan and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger have not been in great form recently, but Worker’s Stadium appears to be an impenetrable fortress for Tianjin Jinmen Tiger!
