Newcastle Jets vs SHANGHAI SIPG Prediction

Domestic form doesn't tell the whole story

Newcastle Jets have picked up 11 wins, 5 draws and 4 losses across their last 20 games, scoring 40 and conceding 29. That's a decent scoring record, but the goals-against tally shows they've been breached regularly too.

Newcastle Jets: 20 completed matches; SHANGHAI SIPG: 20 completed matches.

Newcastle Jets

20 matches

Win

45% 9 / 20

Draw

30% 6 / 20

Loss

25% 5 / 20

Scored

39

Conceded

33

Difference

+6

SHANGHAI SIPG

20 matches

Win

55% 11 / 20

Draw

30% 6 / 20

Loss

15% 3 / 20

Scored

38

Conceded

25

Difference

+13

Shanghai SIPG's recent run reads 10 wins, 7 draws and 3 losses from 20 matches, with 37 scored and 26 conceded. A similar pattern there: goals at both ends, with no real sign of a watertight defence.

Neither team's recent form points to a tight, low-scoring game being the most likely shape.

Comparative Team Statistics: Newcastle Jets vs SHANGHAI SIPG

Group table already has a gap

After one round of this year's group stage, Shanghai SIPG sit third with three points, having won 6-4 away at Ratchaburi. Newcastle Jets are down in 16th without a point, beaten 7-1 by Kashima.

That's only one match each, so it's far from a full picture, but the early goal difference, plus two for SIPG, minus six for Newcastle, tells its own story for now.

One bad night doesn't define a group stage, but Newcastle will want a response quickly.

Where the goals have come from

P. Ampem scored three of Shanghai SIPG's six goals in that Ratchaburi win, with Wu Lei and Jaume Grau also getting on the scoresheet and picking up an assist apiece. Leonardo added another for good measure.

Newcastle Jets:

Best scorers:

P. Wood - 1

Penalty cards:

P. Wood x 1

SHANGHAI SIPG:

Best scorers:

P. Ampem - 3

Wu Lei - 1

Jaume Grau - 1

Best assist providers:

Wu Lei - 1

Jaume Grau - 1

Yue Xin - 1

Newcastle's only reply in their own opener came from P. Wood, who also picked up a yellow card in that game. There's no sign yet of a second scoring outlet stepping up for them in this competition.

What might shape this one

Shanghai SIPG have shown they can score goals in bursts, but they also conceded four of their own at Ratchaburi, so they're not unbeatable at the back either.

Newcastle's response to a heavy opening defeat is the big unknown here. Home advantage might help, but with only one match of continental form to go on for either side, it's hard to read too much into underlying strength just yet.