China must beat S Korea to keep WC hopes alive
seoul — Marcello Lippi faces his biggest challenge as China coach, needing a win against South Korea to keep alive any hopes of qualifying for Russia 2018.
China has appeared at the World Cup just once — in 2002 when South Korea co-hosted the quadrennial event and reached the semifinals — and is in last place in Group A with just two points from the five games in the third round of Asian qualifying.
Lippi guided Italy to the World Cup title in 2006 and took on the China post last October, facing the improbable task of qualifying. He needs goals from a team that has failed to score in all four games since losing 3-2 to South Korea in Seoul in September.
“We know that the game will be a tough one and we hope that the fans will get behind us,” Lippi said of the match at Changsa, China. “We are working hard to compete with South Korea.”
A defeat for China would end already-slim hopes of finishing in the top two spots of the sixteam group that offer automatic qualification for Russia.
Between 2012 and 2014, Lippi led Guangzhou Evergrande to three Chinese Super League titles as well as the 2013 Asian Champions League crown. He has called up seven players from the club to help him out at the international level. “Lippi told us that we still have hope,” Guangzhou midfielder Huang Bowen said. “We have to win this match to keep our hopes alive.”
A win for South Korea, which sits in second spot on 10 points, one behind leader Iran, would help the team in its quest for a ninth successive World Cup appearance and maintain its dominant record in head-to-head meetings with China. In 31 past meetings, China has won just one.