Dalian Young Boy FC (Home)
- Dalian Young Boy FC, meanwhile, have failed to win any of their last five games in all competitions (D2, L3), and they are seeking their first Super League 2026 win on Friday.
- They started their campaign with a pair of defeats, conceding nine goals.
- Guoxu Li’s pragmatic approach remains, and his side generally play a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 formation.
- They will sit deep and aim to hit their visitors with pace on the break, and Cephas Malele, who has scored Dalian’s only goal in the Chinese Super League 2026 so far, is a real threat.
Shanghai Port FC (Away)
- Shanghai Port FC overcame an opening-day loss to kickstart their Chinese Super League 2026 campaign with a resounding 4-1 win over Qingdao West Coast FC in the last round of games, and they could make it consecutive victories against Dalian Young Boy FC, who are currently on a losing streak.
- The visitors play a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system, and they combine a high-tempo, possession-based approach with the pressing intensity to win the ball back and punish their opponents on the counterattack.
Head-to-Head
Shanghai Port FC have won the last two head-to-head meetings between these sides, including a 1-0 away win in Super League 2025.
Key Players
- Lei Wu has been the standout performer in their opening Super League 2026 fixtures, netting twice in two games, and Port have the cutting edge in attack to unlock compact and disciplined defences.
- They will sit deep and aim to hit their visitors with pace on the break, and Cephas Malele, who has scored Dalian’s only goal in the Chinese Super League 2026 so far, is a real threat.
Betting Insights
With Dalian yet to secure a win at home in the Super League 2026, and having lost their only previous home match, the bet that stands out most is the odds for ‘Both Teams to Score - No’ at 2.4 .
Prediction
A clash of Dalian’s disciplined, compact low block against Shanghai Port’s high-tempo, attacking style should be a chess match in which the hosts struggle to carve out clear chances, and we’re supporting the favourites to take the points and keep a shutout in the process .
