SHANGHAI: The COVID-19 pandemic has indefinitely postponed the Chinese Super League (CSL) but it has given the national team time to bond under head coach Li Tie.
China are approaching the end of a two-week training camp here after having defeated former champions Shanghai SIPG 4-1 in another warm-up match.
The CSL is on hold because of the pandemic but the national side have been together on and off for several weeks this year, both at home and abroad.
“I think actually for our team we’ve had a longer time to train together and become more familiar with each other,” said Shanghai SIPG goalkeeper Yan Junling.
“We can also get to fully understand what the coach wants and in fact the team has become more united.”
China’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 hopes hang in the balance. They are second in Group A of the Asian Qualifiers, with only the top team guaranteed to reach the next stage on the road to Qatar 2022.
China’s next qualifier, against the Maldives, has been postponed because of the pandemic.
Yan said that Li, who took over from Marcello Lippi when the Italian World Cup-winning coach quit following defeat to Syria in the Asian Qualifiers last November, has made clear that the friendlies against SIPG and Shenhua are essential to their preparations. (Source: AFC/AFP)
