Shanghai SIPG vs Jiangsu Suning Predictions

Two sides who made winning starts to the new Chinese Super League season meet on Saturday. The pair each have their own star names, in a clash which reunites former Chelsea duo Ramires and Oscar. These two sides each have ambitions for a strong season in the CSL this term, with Shanghai aiming to retain the title they won last year. Can the hosts build on their opening day victory with another three points here?

Shanghai come into this one with a real challenge to their dominance in the league. They’re being threatened by Guangzhou Evergrande, a side who have made real strides towards taking the title. That leaves Shanghai with work to do in the CSL, and they come into this clash needing to follow up some recent good form against Jiangsu Suning.

The visitors also claimed an opening day victory, after they saw off Tianjin Teda last weekend. Their 3-2 win wasn’t comfortable, but they were able to secure the points and a fourth win in five league games. That’s some decent form bridging this season to last, but they are over-reliant on their results at their own ground, like their opening weekend win. Making this trip to the champions is another test altogether for the visitors.

The visitors lost two of their last three away games in the CSL last season, and they are heading here facing the possibility of another loss. After all, they lost this clash 2-0 last season, while they’ve been beaten in four of the last six meetings between the two sides. Shanghai have kept a clean sheet in three of their last four encounters, with the champions aiming to build on that after a routine 4-0 victory at Shanghai Shenhua last weekend put them top of the early CSL table.

We can see the champions following that up with another victory on Saturday. Shanghai come into this one in fine form, as they’ve won 10 straight home matches in the league. They’ve led at the end of each half in their last seven home games. Overall last term, the hosts won 13 of 15 home league games, while Jiangsu were beaten in six trips, including a loss here. We see another defeat for them in this trip, and we are backing the hosts to boost their title ambitions. We are tipping a home victory, along with a 2-1 win for Shanghai SIPG.