China is expected to face a tough start in the final round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers as it is set to face with perennial Asian soccer powerhouse South Korea for its opening match.
The match-up was made during the final round draw held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday. Both China and South Korea have been put into Group A, along with Iran, Uzbekistan, Qatar and Syria. Group B, meanwhile, is comprised of Australia, Iraq, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.
When asked about the match-up, Chinese national soccer team coach Gao Hongbo remarked that they are not worried. He added that he and his team will simply try and do their best, noting that this is their first time in a decade to reach the final round, China Sports Beat reported.
However, Gao also acknowledged that both South Korea and Iran, the second time they will be facing in the next round, have tough rosters that he needs to be prepared for.
In the previous group stage, China was nearly eliminated, forcing the Chinese Football Association to remove former coach Alain Perrin and put Gao in charge.
Gao led China to a 2-0 home victory against Qatar, putting them in second place in Group C at the end of the round. China then managed to advance to the final round after they placed as one of the four best runner-up finishes in the round.
China and South Korea are set to face each other in September. The winner and the runner of each of the two groups will automatically advance to the World Cup Finals in Russia. On the other hand, the third place finishers in both groups will have to first clear the Asian Playoff Round to qualify.
Meanwhile, a report commissioned by FIFA stated that China will have to first get over several human rights hurdles before it can get a good shot at hosting the quadrennial meet.
According to Harvard Kennedy School professor John Ruggie, who prepared the report, the country will need to strictly comply with the bidding requirements that will be imposed by the organization, Bloomberg reported.
The report was conducted in response to criticisms made against Qatar for alleged poor working conditions and death among migrant workers. Qatar is set to host the 2022 edition of the tournament.
China has yet to make a formal announcement of its intent to host the tournament, but President Xi Jinping earlier said that he will make it a top national priority to elevate the country's status in the game. China earlier hosted the Women's World Cup in 2007.