Preview: Meizhou Hakka vs. Beijing Guoan - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts currently sit 11th in the table with five points from their opening three games, while the visitors are positioned in sixth place with six points, four points behind the summit.

Match preview

After playing out successive 1-1 draws in their opening two league games, Meizhou Hakka secured all three points when they beat Shenzhen 2-1 away from home on Monday.

Yang Yilin's 41st-minute opener was cancelled out four minutes after the break by Frenchman Romain Alessandrini, but the visitors managed to snatch all three points in the dying embers when Nebojsa Kosovic scored a dramatic 91st-minute winner.

Milan Ristic will have been pleased with his side's efforts so far, considering that they are competing in the top flight for the first time in their history after a second-place finish in the second tier last season.

Meizhou have never faced Beijing Guoan before but they will be hoping to at least maintain their unbeaten run on Friday with a positive performance in front of their home crowd.

Beijing Guoan suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Cangzhou Mighty Lions on the opening day of the season, but they have since claimed back-to-back victories against Rongcheng and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger.

An eventful 3-2 away win against Rongcheng, which saw the hosts reduced to eight men, was followed by a slender 1-0 victory at home to Tianjin on Monday, with Marko Dabro coming off the bench to score his first goal for the club in the 86th minute.

The 25-year-old forward joined the club from NK Lokomotiva Zagreb in April after scoring 13 goals in 30 appearances for the Croatian side last season.

Gouan head coach Xie Feng will now be hoping that his side can build on their recent results as they bid to challenge for their first top-flight title since 2009.

Meizhou Hakka Chinese Super League form:

Beijing Guoan Chinese Super League form:

Team News

Meizhou's new signing Rade Dugalic is set to start again at centre-back alongside Liao Junjian, shielding goalkeeper Yu Hou.

Nebojsa Kosovic, Shi Liang and Rodrigo Henrique could all retain their places in centre-midfield, with the latter allowed to roam further forward and provide support for central striker Chisom Egbuchulam, who is still searching for his first goal this season.

As for Beijing Guoan, head coach Xie Feng may decide to stick with the same side and same 4-4-2 formation after securing victory last time out.

With former Brentford midfielder Nico Yennaris still recovering from injury, centre-back Samir Memisevic could be handed another start in centre-midfield alongside Chi Zhongguo, although Xizhe Zhang and Tianyi Gao will also be pushing to start.

Meizhou Hakka possible starting lineup:

Hou: C. Yang, Liao, Dugalic, Chen; Shi, Kosovic; Y. Yang, Henrique, Li; Egbuchulam

Beijing Guoan possible starting lineup:

Hou; Wang, Jin, Yu, Kang; C. Zhang, Chi, Memisevic, Li; Adegbenro, Y. Zhang

We say: Meizhou Hakka 1-2 Beijing Guoan

Spirits are high within both camps heading into Friday's fixture, but the visitors will be considered as the favourites to come away with all three points.

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