A highly-anticipated matchup between two of the 2016 Chinese Super League season's best teams, Hebei China Fortune FC (9-3-3, 30 points) and Shanghai SIPG FC (6-3-6, 24 points), is set at the Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium on Sunday, July 3.

Hebei China Fortune hopes to bounce back from a humiliating loss in the previous round which snapped the team's six-game unbeaten run. They are still at the second spot of the current league table, though, but the gap between them and league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC is now at six points after the loss.

Like Us on Facebook

The Samba Kings dropped 0-1 decision in the hands of former cellar dwellers Hangzhou Greentown FC at the Yellow Dragon Sports Center last Saturday, as per Goal.

Hangzhou forward Tan Yang scored the lone goal of the match at the 26th minute off an assist from Brazilian import Denilson Gabionetta, handing Hebei only their first loss since the middle of May when they were blanked by Evergrande.

Meanwhile, Shanghai SIPG is coming off a 1-1 draw with Tianjin Teda FC in the previous round in a match held at the Shanghai Stadium, via Soccerway.

SIPG's Ivorian striker Jean Evrard Kouassi was able to open the scoring at the 39th minute but Tianjin midfielder Hui Jiakang equalized the game at the 79th to salvage the draw and a share of a point in the overall standings.

It was the third consecutive drawn game by the Red Eagles and also their fifth straight winless performance, which dropped them to the fourth spot of the China top flight table after being in the top three during the early weeks of the season.

Head coach Sven-Göran Eriksson recently acquired Hulk from Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg for a Chinese transfer record deal, but it is not immediately known if the Brazilian winger will suit up in this match against Hebei.

The predicted result is a 2-1 win for Shanghai SIPG.

Hebei China Fortune starting lineup (4-1-4-1 formation): Yang; Liao, Jin, Gulum, Ding; M'Bia; Kakuta, Gao, Luo, Jiang; Dong

Shanghai SIPG starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Yan; Fu, Kim, Wang, Sun; Cai, Yu; Wu, Conca, Elkeson; Kouassi 

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League 2016, Hebei China Fortune FC, Shanghai SIPG FC