Struggling team Shandong Luneng Taishan FC (2-9-4, 10 points) is set to take on second-running squad Jiangsu Suning FC (9-2-5, 32 points) at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium on Saturday, July 9 as the second half of the 2016 Chinese Super League season gets underway.

Shandong Luneng, last season's second runners-up in the China top flight, had been struggling to find wins in the first division domestic league this term although they have managed to advance in the quarterfinals of the 2016 AFC Champions League tournament against FC Seoul.

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Even with the resignation of former head coach Mano Menezes and the takeover of Bundesliga champion coach Felix Magath in early June, Taishan Dui is still reeling.

The team lost three of their first four games with Magath with the other one a goalless draw with Shanghai SIPG as they dropped to the cellar of the league standings at the moment.

Shandong is coming off a 0-2 loss to defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande also at their home stadium last Sunday, as per Xinhuanet.

Meanwhile, Jiangsu Suning is on a roll as they have managed to avoid defeat in five of their last six matches.

In their most recent game, Choi Yong-soo's boys nipped Liaoning Whowin in a high-scoring 4-3 game at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre last Saturday, via Sofa Score.

Brazilian imports Ramires and Jô carried the team's scoring load with a goal each while compatriot Alex Teixeira provided one assist to help the team pull off the four-goal haul.

Jiangsu is on a roll right now with its three Brazilians slowly getting at the top of their forms midway through the season.

With rumors coming out that Shandong's locker room is in disarray right now because of their current coach's approach, Jiangsu is the favorite to win this match in lopsided fashion.

The predicted result is a 3-1 win for Jiangsu Suning.

Shandong Luneng starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Wang D.; Wang T., Li, Gil, Zhang; Jucilei, Dai; Tardelli, Montillo, Hao; Liu

Jiangsu Suning starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Gu; Zhou, Sainsbury, Li, Yang; Wu, Liu; Ji, Ramires, Teixeira; Jô 

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League 2016, Shandong Luneng Taishan FC, Jiangsu Suning FC