Meizhou Hakka will be looking to end their dreadful winless run when they host fellow strugglers Cangzhou Mighty Lions at Huitang Stadium on Friday in the Chinese Super League.

The hosts have lost their last two and sit precariously above the relegation zone, whilst Cangzhou were also on the losing side last time out.

Match preview

Meizhou's winless run in the league extended to five matches on the weekend with a 2-1 loss at Henan, with a brace from Nemanja Jovic cancelling out Congyao Yin's sixth-minute strike.

Hakka return to Huitang Stadium in this one after back-to-back away defeats, although there will not be too much optimism around the ground on Friday night considering they have collected just four points in five home matches so far.

Milan Ristic's men sit 13th in the Super League standings after 11 games, only one point better off than 15th-placed Qingdao Hainiu who occupy the highest of the relegation places.

Chaosheng Yang is having a productive campaign for Meizhou, with the 29-year-old managing three league goals in eight appearances so far - he only scored once in the entirety of last season.

Cangzhou were unable to make it two-straight wins on the weekend when they fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Shanghai Shenhua at Cangzhou Stadium, with a second-half goal from Haijian Wang settling the contest.

The Mighty Lions will be looking to avoid a repeat of their last away match in which a Sang-Woo Kang brace helped Beijing Guoan to a 6-2 thrashing over Friday's visitors.

Junzhe Zhao's men are currently 12th in the Chinese Super League after their opening 11 matches, only a point above their opponents on Friday - a loss would see Meizhou leapfrog the Mighty Lions.

Oscar Maritu has been scoring the goals from the right flank this season for Cangzhou - the 23-year-old leads the club's scoring charts with four goals in 11 appearances.

Team News

Meizhou are likely to make a couple of changes from their defeat last time out, with attackers Guokang Chen and Elguja Lobjanidze pushing for starts after appearing off the bench last weekend.

Nebojsa Kosovic is likely to partner Liang Shi in the Hakka engine room - the 28-year-old has claimed a regular spot in the side over recent months.

Cangzhou are set to keep their five-at-the-back formation which they utilised in their last match, meaning Dutchman Jurgen Locadia will lead the line for the visitors once again.

Fellow countryman Deabeas Owusu-Sekyere came off the bench last time out and could partner Locadia in attack if the Mighty Lions wanted to field a more attacking side on Friday night.

Meizhou Hakka possible starting lineup:
Cheng; Yue, Pan, Dugalic, Rao; Shi, Kosovic, Yang, Ye, Yang; Yin

Cangzhou Mighty Lions possible starting lineup:
Shao; Sun, Whang, Zheng, Liu, Zhao; Maritu, Zhukov, Skoric, Yao; Locadia

We say: Meizhou Hakka 1-1 Cangzhou Mighty Lions

Meizhou are enduring a terrible run of form in the Chinese Super League but should be confident of earning a result against a Cangzhou side who were dismantled in their last away outing.

The Mighty Lions will fancy taking on Hakka considering the hosts' poor recent record - they should be good enough to force a share of the spoils on Friday night.


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