Shanghai SIPG vs Hebei CFFC Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Shanghai SIPG have had a fairly frantic start to the new Chinese Super League season, with them also contesting in the Asian Champions League group stages as well and that resulting in a flurry of fixtures for the hosts.

This was fine at first, with them winning three continental matches on the bounce before the start of the Super League season and then winning another three consecutive games. However, all those trips away seem to have taken their toll, and a 3-2 defeat to Guangzhou Evergrande took the wind out of their sails. Since then they have beaten Shandong Luneng in the Super League but lost at Urawa Reds and drawn against Tianjin Quanjian.

All of Shanghai SIPG’s failures have come on the road though, and at home they have won eight games in a row in all competitions, scoring an impressive 27 goals in the process. They have won eight and drawn four of their last 12 home games in the Chinese Super League as well.

Hebei CFFC aren’t having a bad season though. They finished 7th in last season’s Chinese Super League but have proved very difficult to beat so far this term. They may have only won two of their five games, but they remain unbeaten in the league and have taken themselves to 5th in the table.

In fairness they haven’t had the most difficult of starts to the season though, with a home win over Shanghai Shenhua being the most impressive achievement. All of their three away days have resulted in draws, and all of those were against teams who finished in the bottom half of the table last season.

Hebei CFFC may be adopting a rather defensive approach away from home this season, but I can’t see them keeping Shanghai SIPG out. The hosts have been in excellent scoring form at home for a while, and now they have ex-Chelsea playmaker Oscar in their attacking ranks too. They have seen at least three goals in eight of their last ten home games in the Chinese Super League, so odds of 3/4 for Over 2.5 Goals look good value for money. I’m also going for a 3-1 win for them at 11/1 for my correct score predictions.