SHANGHAI (Interstat) — A crucial AFC Champions League match on Wednesday pits Shanghai Shenhua FC against Japan’s Vissel Kobe in a clash of teams heading in opposite directions.

Vissel Kobe arrives in China riding a wave of momentum. The Japanese side is coming off a dominant 3-0 domestic victory over Avispa Fukuoka this past Sunday. That win extended their impressive form in continental play, where they have won three straight Champions League matches, including a 3-0 rout of Shanghai’s rival, Shanghai Haigang FC, in September and a 1-0 victory over South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai earlier this month.

In contrast, Shanghai Shenhua looks to rebound from a disappointing 3-1 away loss to Johor Darul Ta’zim FC in their most recent Champions League outing on Nov. 5. That result snapped a brief unbeaten run in the tournament for the Chinese Super League side, which had previously earned a 2-0 win over FC Seoul and a 1-1 draw with Ulsan.

The statistical service Interstat projects a tightly contested 1-1 draw at Shanghai’s Hongkou Football Stadium. The result could be pivotal for both clubs’ hopes of advancing to the knockout stages. For Vissel Kobe, the match is the first of a busy December, while Shanghai Shenhua will look to secure a positive result before traveling to face Japan’s S’frecce Hiroshima on Dec. 10.