Xinhua News Agency, Abu Dhabi, January 15 (Reporter Liu Ning, Wang Haoyu) the Chinese team will face South Korea in the last round of the 2019 Asian Cup group match on the 16th. As for the focus battle for the top of the team, national football coach Lippi said on the 15th that striker Wu Lei would not be able to participate due to injury, but hoped that the national football team would have a wonderful performance.
Lippi said at the press conference that day, “First of all, I want to talk about Wu Lei, who is our important player. We can’t take risks in tomorrow’s game. Wu Lei will not play. However, I hope the players can play a good game.”
Regarding the news that Wu Lei would return to Shanghai Shanggang team for treatment due to shoulder injury, Lippi said: “I have also seen many reports that Wu Lei would return to the club for treatment. Our team doctor has communicated with Shanggang team doctor and he will not return to the club. Wu Lei can participate in the fourth game and the next knockout game.”
In the 2019 Asian Cup, China and South Korea, Kyrgyzstan and Philippines were divided into Group C. At present, the Chinese team, which won two battles in the two battles, is currently ranked first in Group C by relying on the strength of the net Victory Ball and pressing the South Korean team with the same 6 points. If you defeat or draw the South Korean team, the national football team will qualify as the first in the group.
Lippi said: “If we draw or win South Korea, we will play on the 22nd; If we lose, we will play against Thailand on the 20th. I didn’t consider choosing opponents in the elimination match. I paid more attention to the team’s confidence and unity, cohesion and upward attitude in the match. This is my requirement for the team.”
In Lippi’s view, South Korea, Japan and Iran are both traditional Asian strong teams. “We need to focus on tomorrow’s match with South Korea. Facing a strong team like South Korea, I prefer that the team is not conservative. Because, if it is only defense, it is difficult to defend against the South Korean team with strong attack power. We need to find balance in attack and defense. For South Korea, we need to show the courage of the players and kick out their own characteristics.”
Zheng Zhi, the captain of the Chinese team, also believes that the national football team needs to play the spirit of 12 points against the South Korean team. “I have played with the South Korean team many times. In terms of style, the South Korean team attaches great importance to speed and physical confrontation. However, the Chinese team also has its own characteristics. In tomorrow’s game, we need to show our level, play what we are training, and start fighting from the first minute of playing, and control the rhythm of the game in our own hands “.
After playing the game between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in the Premier League, South Korean star Sun Xingmin arrived in UAE on the 14th and expressed his hope to help South Korea win the Asian Cup.
For the question of whether Sun Xingmin would send someone to guard against him if he played, Lippi said: “I know he is a very good player, but he is not the only one in South Korea, there are many other excellent players. Our preparation will not be aimed at one person, and the team as a whole will always be more important than the individual.”