As the Chinese national football team gears up for the crucial World Cup qualifiers, they are set to regroup for training in early November. This comes in preparation for their matches against Bahrain on November 14 and Japan at home on November 19. Head coach Ivan Kolev, who has remained in China since the matches against Indonesia, has been closely monitoring potential players by watching the Chinese Super League and Asian Champions League over the past week. The final roster for the upcoming training camp and the matches is expected to be announced by the end of this weekend. With one player, Xie Wen Neng, facing a suspension and seven others on yellow cards, the coaching staff is likely to call up additional players for the training session.
Looking to secure a spot in the top four of their group, the Chinese team celebrated their first victory in the third round of the qualifiers against Indonesia on October 15, boosting their morale significantly. Despite sitting at the bottom of Group C with just three points, they are only two points behind Australia, who holds the second position. Strategically, if China can secure points against teams like Indonesia and Bahrain, they still have a strong chance to achieve their goal of finishing in the top four.
Since last week, Kolev has been in discussions with the Chinese Football Association to finalize their training plans while also scouting players during matches. Last weekend, he was seen at the Beijing Workers’ Stadium observing a Super League match where a recently called-up player, Cao Yongjing, impressed by scoring two goals. The performance of other potential squad members has also been commendable, making Kolev’s trip worthwhile.
The upcoming training camp will see a more complete roster. With their main right winger, Xie Wen Neng, set to miss the match against Bahrain due to two yellow cards, and several other key players, including Li Lei, Yang Zexiang, Li Yuanyi, Wang Shangyuan, Zhang Yuning, Bai Helamu, and Alan, currently on yellow cards, the coaching team is planning to include around 26 players for the next phase of training.
In the past week, there have been positive developments for the national team; Wu Lei has returned to the starting lineup for Shanghai Port in the Asian Champions League and scored a goal, while Zhu Chenchao also made his comeback in the Super League. Additionally, Alan has rejoined the starting squad for Qingdao West Coast, strengthening the upcoming training camp compared to the October session. However, with some players sidelined by injuries, the standout performances of their substitutes, such as Bai Helamu and Jiang Shenglong, will require careful consideration from Kolev when finalizing his starting lineup.
Historically, China has an upper hand over Bahrain, with three wins and four draws in their seven official encounters. However, their last four meetings have all ended in draws. The most recent clash took place in September 2018 during an international friendly, where the teams finished at a stalemate. Given this context, China appears to have a psychological advantage heading into the match. Unlike their tough group rivals Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Australia, Bahrain is perceived to be weaker, motivating the Chinese team to aim for a full three points in this matchup. Success in this game will be crucial for China’s performance in the first half of the qualifiers.
