Chinese team - the 'first mover' of Vietnam football field

Coach Li Tie resigned on December 1 after the home team China drew with Australia. Immediately, the Chinese Football Association sentCoach Li Xiaopeng called up many new players, remaking the Chinese squad to prepare for two away matches with Japan and Vietnam in2022 World Cup third qualifying round.

New teacher

Wu Lei is the most important player on the Chinese side. Photo CFA

Coach Li Xiaopeng only had 1 year leading the Chinese women's team but was not successful, followed by a short period leading Qingdao Zhongneng Club and Shandong Luneng Club, interspersed with a short period of time doing management and operations work at different teams.

Currently, the Chinese national team's coaching staff has 15 members, including two foreigners. Some famous names such as Sun Jihai, Zheng Zhi or Chen Yang were once national players and are appearing in different positions at clubs in the China Super League.

New head coach Li Xiaopeng has called up 40 players to prepare for the upcoming matches against Japan and Vietnam. After 6 matches with only 5 points lost to Australia, the team ranked 3rd by 6 points, China's chance to participate in the 2022 World Cup is gone. But the Chinese Football Association still needs to improve its image and so the goal of getting points, even 3 points on the first day of the new year of Nham Thin becomes hotter than ever.

Face of naturalized player

China's national team participating in the 2022 World Cup. Photo: CFA

After 2 weeks of training, Mr. Li Xiaopeng filtered out 27 names before finalizing the official list of 23 players. Contrary to rumors in the press, there are still 4 naturalized players joining the Chinese team, including Jiang Guangtai, Alan, Fernando and Luo. But Wu Lei, a player currently on the payroll of Espanyol Club, is still the most notable name. He is expected to fly directly and join the team on January 23 in Tokyo (Japan) with other naturalized players such as Jiang Guangtai, Alan, Fernando and Luo. Remember, midfielder Lei was the owner of 2 out of 3 goals for the Chinese team in the match against Vietnam in October. As planned, all four naturalized Brazilian players will fly from Sao Paulo to Amsterdam (Netherlands) and then transfer to the capital of Japan.

Due to the epidemic, the Chinese team is training in Shanghai and will have two internal matches before leaving for Japan on January 23. Accordingly, Wu Lei and his teammates will meet the Japanese team (January 27) in Tokyo and Vietnam (February 1) in Hanoi. It is predicted that we will have a very dramatic opening match of the new year because among the teams participating in the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup, the match with the visiting team China will have the highest chance of scoring.

Expectations

In the first leg match against China, the other team was the one playing defensive counter-attacks. When we were 2-0 down, we still fought back to equalize 2-2 and lost 3-2 in the final minutes of the match when our physical strength had declined. With 2 teams no longer having hope of participating in the 2022 World Cup, viewers expect an open match. If Australia is still an overwhelming opponent, and is missing central defender Ngoc Hai due to a penalty card, then in the next match at My Dinh, Coach Park, in addition to the home field advantage, will have enough reinforcements like Phi Son and Ngan Van Dai.

Vietnamese fans are looking forward to the team reform and the effect that Coach Park's playing style will have on viewers. Will there be any promising faces?

List of 27 Chinese players

Goalkeeper: Wang Dalei, Liu Dianzuo, Yan Junling.

Defenders: Zhu Chenjie, Zhang Linpeng, Wang Shenchao, Hao Junmin, Wu Xi, Xu Xin, Jin Jingdao, Zhang Yuning, Zheng Zheng, Yu Dabao, Tan Long.

Midfielders: Ji Xiang, Deng Hanwen, Chi Zhongguo, Wei Shihao, Liu Yang, Liu Binbin, Dai Weijun, Luo Guofu, Zhang Xizhe.

Forwards: Wu Lei, Jiang Guangtai, Alan, Fernando