Henan FC vs Shanghai Shenhua Prediction: The Blues Are Still Eyeing The Top Spot!

Henan FC will welcome Shanghai Shenhua to the Zhengzhou Hanghai Stadium in the third round of the Chinese Super League. Henan are 12th in the league standings, while Shanghai Shenhua are fifth.

Let's head into the match preview to find the best odds on the Henan FC vs. Shanghai Shenhua game and my expert picks to place your bets.

Henan FC

Henan finished in eighth place in the previous season. They accumulated 36 points from 30 games and were nine points ahead of the relegation zone.

In the current campaign, they have made a poor start, failing to win in two games. They began with a goalless draw against Shandong Taishan away from home before losing 2-1 against Meizhou Hakka. 

Nam Ki-il's men now return Hanghai Stadium for the first time since a goalless draw against Changchun Yatai on October 27, 2024. It has to be mentioned that in the last five games at this venue, they won three and lost once.

Shanghai Shenhua

Shanghai Shenhua, on the other hand, went into the international in low spirits. The visitors were victims of a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Kawasaki Frontale in the AFC Champions League. It was a return leg in the round of 16 that saw them lose 4-1 on aggregate. 

The Blues have made a promising start to the 2024-25 Chinese Super League campaign. However, a 2-2 draw against ten-man Beijing Guoan last time out meant that they are now two points behind title holders Shanghai Port for the top spot.

Leonid Slutsky's men will be confident of returning to winning ways considering they have won three straight matches on the road. It even makes it better knowing that they achieved a league double over Henan in the previous season, winning both encounters by a 2-1 scoreline.

Match Facts

• Henan FC are winless in their last six league games.
• Shanghai Shenhua are unbeaten in ten league games.
• Henan FC has seen each of their last nine home matches end with under 3.5 goals.
• Shanghai Shenhua is currently on a two-match winning streak when playing against Henan FC.

Head-To-Head

In the last 31 meetings, Henan FC has won 9 times, Shanghai Shenhua has won 12 times, and there have been 10 draws with the goal difference being 41-37 in favour of Shanghai Shenhua.

Expert Betting Tips

Henan FC are in a precarious position in the standings - three places above the red line. However, that doesn't mean head coach Nam Ki-il has to push the panic button as the season is still in it's early stages giving them enough time to adapt to Ki-il's playing style.

Shanghai Shenhua are favourites with bookmakers to win here. The visitors have lost just one of their last eight encounters against Henan FC (W5, D2). With such a record, I believe they can win here by taking full advantage of their opponents' poor form. 

However, I don't expect to see fireworks in this match. Considering that Shanghai Shenhua has won their last two matches in this fixture by a 2-1 scoreline, expect another another similar outcome here.

Our main prediction for the match: W2 for 1.90 with 1xbet.

2nd prediction: Correct Score - Henan 1:2 Shanghai Shenhua for 8.50 with Bet365. 

3rd prediction: 1st Goal - Shanghai Shenhua for 1.66 with Betway.