Tianjin Quanjian vs Guangzhou Evergrande
AFC Champions League
Date: Tuesday, 8th May 2018
Kick-off at 12:30 UK/ 13:30 CET
Venue: Haihe Educational Football Stadium (Tianjin).
The two Chinese Super League clubs Tianjin Quanjian and Guangzhou Evergrande go head-to-head in the round of 16 of 2018 AFC Champions League.
It is a surprise to see how Tianjin went on with their business in the Champions League since this is their first ever continental appearance and they are team that promoted to Chinese Super League last season. Now, the man who mastermind that success is Fabio Cannavaro, who is now in the dugout of Guangzhou Evergrande. The Italian had a previous stint with Guangzhou for a seven-month period between November 2014 and June 2015.
Tianjin is now managed by the experienced Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa. They have an underwhelming start in the domestic league, but were simply superb in the Champions League. They lost one game on a heavy margin though, 6-3 away at Jeonbuk, yet 4 wins and 1 draw from the remaining 5 group games was enough to secure the second spot by a 9 point margin. Tianjin won their three home games in the Champions League and scored a massive 10 goals in the process.
Guangzhou Evergrande won this title in 2013 and 2015 and they were eliminated last season by their domestic rivals Shanghai SIPG in the quarter final. They finished unbeaten in the group phase this season bagging 3 wins and 3 draws in a tricky pool that had Buriram United, Jeju United and Cerezo Osaka. There has been 1 win and 2 draws from their three away games during the course.
Unlike Tianjin Quanjian, Guangzhou made a good start to their league campaign and are placed third after 9 round, trailing the leaders Shanghai SIPG by 2 points. Meantime, Tianjin are 11th in the Chinese Super league table.
Tianjin Quanjian vs Guangzhou Evergrande: Head-to-head
Guangzhou won their latest meeting with Tianjin by a 1-0 margin, on March 2018 at the Haihe Educational Football Stadium.
However, Tianjin were victorious in both home and away matches in the league last season – 4-3 home and 2-1 away.
Tianjin Quanjian vs Guangzhou Evergrande: Prediction
The bookmakers consider Guangzhou as strong favorites to win this match, but Tianjin are a quality side and this won’t be a cake walk for Cannavaro’s men. The main reason is the fearless attitude of Tianjin in home games and they do have the service of experienced professionals like Axel Witsel, Alexandre Pato and Anthony Modeste. Meantime, Guangzhou do not have the best away record in the competition, let it be against a team from their own league.
Tianjin Quanjian vs Guangzhou Evergrande: Bet Tips
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Tianjin +1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.40 odd with 1xBet.
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Both teams to Score @ 1.63 with 10Bet.
