Last season's 11th-placed team Hangzhou Greentown FC (1-1-0, 3 points) is set to meet last season's second runners-up Shandong Luneng Taishan FC (1-1-0, 3 points) at the Yellow Dragon Sports Center in Hangzhou on Friday, April 1st as the 2016 Chinese Super League season continues.

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The two teams have identical win-loss records so far in the newly-opened China top flight season as both have split their first two assignments.

After winning their season opener against Changchun Yatai, 2-1, Hangzhou had suffered a 0-1 loss to Shijiazhuang Ever Bright FC during their previous CSL game on March 13th at the Yutong International Sports Center in Shijiazhuang, as per Sofa Score.

The Green Giants had trouble penetrating the defense of Ever Bright all throughout the match even as their offense is currently led by former Tianjin Teda striker Tim Cahill, who is also a veteran playmaker and scorer of the Australian national football squad.

Chinese striker Mao Jianqing scored the lone goal of the match at the 41st minute for Shijiazhuang, who had gained their first win of the season after falling to Liaoning Whowin in their first game.

With the loss, manager Hong Myung-bo's squad is now in a five-team tie for fifth place in the current league table.

Meanwhile, Shandong Luneng is also included in the five-team deadlock after they were able to bounce back from their opening game loss to powerhouse Jiangsu Suning, nipping Liaoning Whowin in a high-scoring 3-2 game at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium on March 11th, via Soccerway.

The Tigerkins actually opened the scoring with a goal from Zambian forward James Chamanga at the 20th minute.

But Taishan Dui did not fold from the one-point deficit as they unleashed three straight goals in the next 32 minutes of the match, courtesy of Brazilian striker Diego Tardelli, midfielder Wang Yongpo, and striker Yang Xu at the 25th, 27th, and 52nd minutes respectively, to build an almost insurmountable 3-1 lead in the second half of play.

Liaoning was able to score another goal, via an injury time strike from Senegalese forward Ibrahima Toure, to cut the lead to one point but time ran out on the visitors.

The predicted result is a 2-0 win for Shandong Luneng.

Hangzhou Greentown starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Zhang; Cao, Zhao, Oh, Cheng; Luo, Feng, Chen Z., Chen P.; Cahill, Gabionetta

Shandong Luneng starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Wang; Zheng, Dai, Gil, Zhao; Jucilei, Hao; Wang, Montillo, Tardelli; Yang

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, 2016 Chinese Super League, Hangzhou Greentown FC, Shandong Luneng Taishan FC, Shijiazhuang Ever Bright FC, Jiangsu Suning FC