China PR’s Shenhua defeated Japan’s Frontale 2-0 in the League Stage and followed that up with a 1-0 win in last week’s Round of 16 first leg.
The defeats to Shenhua would have been particularly painful for Frontale as it is the first time they have lost consecutive matches against first time opponents without netting even once.
Last week’s loss ended a five-match winning run and the Japanese side will be fired up to ensure they advance to the quarter-finals.
Besides seeking to upstage Frontale again, Shenhua will be targeting a third consecutive win on the continental stage for the first time since 2006.
The Chinese side, however, are unlikely to take unnecessary risks with protecting their first leg lead their first priority.
