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Japan, China out to stamp early mark at Asian Cup
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-02-21 06:45
But they will have their work cut out against a side that ground out a 1-1
draw with Saudi Arabia last week in Jeddah. The Koreans will be without
Manchester United star Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-Pyo of Tottenham.
"This will be the most important match during our tour," South Korean
assistant coach Pim Verbeek said of the overseas trip that began on January 5.
Advocaat, who left the US tour early owing to the death of his mother-in-law,
will rejoin the team in London en route to Syria.
The Saudis, who failed miserably in the 2004 finals,
will have to lift their game after three draws and a loss in their last four
outings, against Greece, Sweden, Finland and Lebanon.
China, who fell to arch rival Japan 3-1 in a bad-tempered final in Beijing in
2004, should have an easier task in Guangzhou against the Palestinian squad.
But they are struggling for form and lost at home to Honduras last week.
"We are not in our best form," admitted coach Zhu Guanghu. "We need to
improve at set pieces and position sense."
Li Tie of Everton, Sun Jihai of Manchester City and Antwerp's Dong Fangzhuo
are all expected to play although they will be without Zheng Zhi and Zhu Ting
who are suspended.
It is new territory for Australia, who will play their first match as an
Asian nation without Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Mark Schwarzer because of
club commitments to the Champions League and UEFA Cup.
They go to Manama with a relatively inexperienced squad but see it as a
chance for the newcomers to shine.
Assistant coach Johan Neeskens said with all players
vying for a spot in the World Cup team, the absent internationals should be
feeling uneasy.
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