Chengdu Rongcheng will return to the Dujiangyan Sports Center Stadium on Saturday with momentum firmly behind them, having won five league games in a row. Henan Songshan Longmen, on the other hand, come off the back of a mixed spell that has left them searching for consistency.
Round 11 brings together a side controlling its pace and another trying to settle down after a stop-and-go run. The contrast of shape and the memory of recent tight meetings give this device a sharper edge than the table alone might suggest.
Check out our Chengdu Rongcheng vs Henan Songshan Longmen stats and stats
why does it matter
For Chengdu Rongcheng, this is an opportunity to continue building a strong platform early in the season and keep the pressure on at the top of the Super League. Their recent results suggest a team growing in confidence, with wins both home and away and enough variety in performance to suggest they are not reliant on a single pattern.
Henan Songshan Longmen need a response to prevent their campaign from slipping into inconsistency. They have shown they can produce a convincing result, but defeats to Shanghai Shenhua and Dalian Yingbo, along with a draw at Chongqing Tonglianglong FC, underscore a team still struggling to find a reliable level. A positive result here would do more than just add points; it would reset the mood around their season.
Image of the form
Chengdu Rongcheng’s recent league run has been excellent, with five consecutive wins and four of them by a single goal or more. The most eye-catching result was a 3-2 win at Shanghai Shenhua, which showed they can face a tough away task, while a 4-0 home win over Zhejiang highlighted their ability to take control when the game opens.
This sequence also points to a side that is comfortable winning in different ways. They have kept things tight in a number of games, including 1-0 wins against Liaoning Tieren FC and Wuhan Three Towns, but have also shown enough attacking quality to swing a match when needed.
The recent form of Henan Songshan Longmen is less established. They have one emphatic win on the run, a 4-0 home success against Liaoning Tieren FC, but this comes alongside a 3-0 loss to Shanghai Shenhua, a 1-2 loss to Dalian Yingbo and a goalless draw at West Coast Qingdao.
The bigger picture is of a team that can organize without always being sufficiently threatening in the final third. Their draw at Chongqing Tonglianglong FC suggests resilience, but a lack of consistent goalscoring output has made it harder for them to turn decent spells into sustained momentum.
key plot
The main tactical question is whether Chengdu Rongcheng can impose the same control that has underpinned their winning run. Their recent use of a 4-2-3-1 against Shanghai Shenhua, following a 4-4-2 against Liaoning Tieren FC, suggests flexibility, but the common thread has been a compact structure and enough attacking support around Felipe and Rômulo to keep opponents under pressure.
Henan Songshan Longmen have settled more into a 4-2-3-1, with Bruno Nazário and Shangyuan Wang in the center of midfield and Gustavo leading the line. This set-up has given them a platform, but against a side in the form of Chengdu they may need to be more aggressive in transition and more efficient when going forward.
Team news
Chengdu Rongcheng have not suffered any injuries this season, giving them good health for a key home game. This stability is reflected in their recent selections, with Liu Dianzuo, Egor Sorokin, Hetao Hu, Wei Shihao, Wellington Silva, Yang Mingyang, Felipe and Rômulo.
The likely shape again looks close to a 4-2-3-1, with the option to switch to a more direct front line of two if necessary. The consistency of the squad suggests little reason for major changes, especially after a winning run that has rewarded continuity.
Henan Songshan Longmen are dealing with the absence of Zhao Ke due to a thigh problem, which narrows their options slightly. Their recent lineups point towards a familiar 4-2-3-1, with Gouming Wang in the back four and Gustavo supported by Bruno Nazário, Shangyuan Wang and Yihao Zhong.
There may be a temptation to keep the structure compact and avoid an open game, especially away from home against a team with Chengdu’s current confidence. If Henan does make changes, they are more likely to be about balance and protection than wholesale tactical rethinking.
Tactical battle
The key area is likely to be midfield, where Chengdu’s control and Henan’s discipline will clash. If Chengdu can move the ball quickly through Wei Shihao, Wellington Silva and Yang Mingyang, they should be able to pin down Henan and create enough pressure at Gustavo’s end of the pitch.
Henan’s best route is probably to stay organized, deny the space between the lines and look for moments to break between Bruno Nazário and Shangyuan Wang. If they are forced into an extended defensive spell, the match may tilt towards Chengdu’s ability to sustain attacks and keep the tempo high.
Recent Meetings
Recent meetings have been competitive and often close, with Henan winning the last two league meetings, including a 3-2 home win in June 2025 and a 2-1 win in October 2025. Chengdu, however, have also been successful in this fixture, including a 4-2 win in May 2024 and earlier, so the goal record does not amount to a head-to-head record. pattern
Journalist’s opinion
The form book gives Chengdu Rongcheng the clearest edge, but this doesn’t look like an event that will be decided by reputation alone. Henan have enough structure to make life uncomfortable, and their recent head-to-head record suggests they are capable of upsetting Chengdu if the home side lose control of midfield.
Still, Chengdu’s current pace, home advantage and defensive stability make them the more compelling team. If they get off to a good start and keep Henan contained, the match may follow the pattern of several of Chengdu’s recent wins: controlled, competitive and decided by a moment of quality rather than an open contest.
prediction
Chengdu Rongcheng look best placed to overcome a tight game, with a narrow home win the most likely outcome.
