Chinese national football team coach Marcello Lippi warns his players not to be complacent after pulling a surprise win against South Korea in the World Cup Asian Zone qualifiers.
Shock win
Striker Yu Dabao gave China the goal needed for the 1-0 win over the Koreans just 11 minutes before halftime, ESPN reported.
From there, Lippi's squad maintained a strong defensive line in the second half to deny South Korea a comeback. Goalkeeper Zheng Cheng played a key role in the defense, blocking the attempts made by Ki Sung-Yeung and Ji Dong-won.
The win is China's first in the current stage and gives them five points in six games, putting it closer to the top three teams. Lippi said that the win was important for them as it keeps their campaign for a World Cup seat alive.
The last time that China found itself in the World Cup was in 2002, where it finished 31st in the group stage.
Lippi said that their win puts them just five points behind second-ranked South Korea. China got a further boost in their chances at qualifying after a surprise loss by third-ranked Uzbekistan to Syria.
The top two teams in the current stage will automatically qualify for the group stage of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, while the third place will still have to go through several playoffs.
Despite the major win, Lippi advised his squad not to get too self-satisfied with their performance. He stressed that they sill have a long way ahead and reminded his players that they can aim for better performances.
Earlier worries
Lippi has earlier said that he was worried that fatigue might impact his squad's performance. Xinhua reported. He noted that some of the members of the team have been playing for both the Asian Champions League and the Chinese Super League at the same time.
But he expressed confidence that the team's medical staff would be able to get his guys ready in time for the match. He also encouraged his players to give it all they got for the country's honor.