Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan now plays for Shanghai SIPG. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG FC is set to host Muangthong United FC of the Thai Premier League on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Shanghai Stadium in Shanghai, China for a playoff round match of the 2016 AFC Champions League qualifiers.
The winner of the match will qualify in the Group Stage knockout games of the said qualifying tournament.
Shanghai SIPG automatically qualified in the play-off round due to its second place finish in the China top flight last season while Muangthong United had to face Malaysian Super League squad Johor Darul Ta'zim FC in the preliminary round 2.
The TPL runners-up defeated their opponents 3-0 in penalties after the regulation ended in a goalless draw at the SCG Stadium in Nonthaburi, Thailand on Feb. 2, as per Four Four Two.
Twin Qilin goalkeeper Kawin Thamsatchanan saved the day for manager Totchtawan Sripan's boys in the penalty shootout as he successfully blanked the Malaysian champions.
It would be difficult to duplicate, though, against the mighty Chinese club.
Sven-Göran Eriksson's team is bannered by Ghanian striker Asamoah Gyan and Argentine midfielder Dario Conca, two of the best players in the world at their positions.
The game will also mark the debut of Brazilian striker Elkeson after he was transferred from two-time AFC Champions League winners Guangzhou Evergrande to Shanghai SIPG last month.
The Gyan-Elkeson combination up front for the hosts will be too much to handle on paper for the Thais, but the tandem will have to figure out some chemistry issues on the field first that are sure to come.
Eriksson expectedly expressed some concerns as team captain Sun Xiang is also sidelined for the match.
"Sun Xiang is ruled out and both Elkeson and Gyan have not yet reached their best shape and are in the process of recovering. I hope both of them will be able to handle a 90-minute game," said the 68-year-old Swede manager, via Ghana Soccernet.
"It is not going to be an easy game. I know our opponents will cause a lot of problems for us, but we will overcome these difficulties and try our best to win the match within 90 minutes," he added.
Meanwhile, another CSL squad, Shandong Luneng, is also scheduled to play on Tuesday as they are up against A-League's Adelaide United at the Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia.
The predicted result is a 3-0 victory for Shanghai SIPG over Muangthong United.
Shanghai SIPG starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Junling; Zhang W., Wang S., Kim, Yang; Cai, Conca, Zhang Y., Wang J.; Gyan, Elkeson
Muangthong United starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Kawin; Peerapat, Fabricio, Aoyama, Piyaphon; Datsakorn, Seksit, Sarach, Teerasil; Negão, Silva
