- Lanzhou Longyuan Athletic are coming off the back of an excellent cup run and have won four of their last five matches in all competitions.
- Tianjin Jinmen Tigers have won only three of their 15 Chinese Super League matches this season, standing 16th in the table.
- The two teams have never met in a senior competitive match before and will meet in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup 2026.
Lanzhou Longyuan Athletic - Tight at the back and dangerous on the counter
However, Lanzhou have shown a knack for the Chinese Cup in 2026, and have come into this match up having won four of their previous five matches in all competitions, including their 2-1 upset victory over Chinese Super League side Meizhou Hakka in the previous round.
New manager Huang Shibo has instilled a level of discipline, structure and compactness to the team that allows Lanzhou to be dangerous on the break and a threat from set-piece situations. Lanzhou's defence has remained solid in their cup matches, with Zhang Junzhe, Wei Lai and the rest of the defensive unit holding firm. According to our Lanzhou Longyuan Athletic vs Tianjin Jinmen Tigers prediction, Lanzhou's attacking play will revolve around the pace and creativity of Zhu Haiwei, who will have to be marked out of the game if Tianjin are to have a chance of winning this match.
Tianjin Jinmen Tigers - Tough to pin down
Tianjin have won just three of their 15 CSL matches this campaign, drawing six and losing six to sit 16th in the CSL table. Tianjin have been inconsistent on the road to this point, and have conceded 21 goals - an average of 1.4 per game. The Tigers have been tough to predict this season, with the Lanzhou Longyuan Athletic vs Tianjin Jinmen Tigers prediction also noting that manager Yu Genwei, a club legend, prefers to use a flexible tactical system.
Tianjin have switched between a back-three and back-four this term, and their high pressing game is complemented by their ability to switch to a direct, attacking approach. Alberto Quiles leads the team in goals this campaign, and will be the focal point of their attack on Friday. Xadas and Jaume Grau Ciscar will be looking to provide creativity and goals from midfield, with Guilherme Schettine another important attacking player.
Lanzhou’s cup run should continue at the expense of the Tigers
This should be an interesting match between two teams who like to play their own game, with the compactness of Lanzhou's low-block approach butting heads against the pressing and tactical variety of Tianjin. Our Lanzhou Longyuan Athletic vs Tianjin Jinmen Tigers preview shows that Lanzhou have the structure and team spirit to see off their opponents in this one, but the electric atmosphere inside Lanzhou Olympic Center Stadium and the prospect of an upset makes the draw at 3.4 look favorable.
The allure of a cup upset may be enough to cause Tianjin to press Lanzhou in their own half, and both teams to score - Yes looks a solid pick at 2.0, with over 2.5 goals coming in at 2.1. Both teams have shown that they can score and concede goals, and the knockout nature of the cup means that a draw is a very real possibility on Friday.
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