Coach Marcello Lippi calls for China to defend nation’s honour in key World Cup qualifier

Group B strugglers entertain South Korea at Hunan’s He Long Stadium in Changsha province amid heightened security and political tension

Reading Time:3 minutes

Security guards outside He Long Stadium. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:30pm, 22 Mar 2017Updated: 10:14pm, 22 Mar 2017

Coach Marcello Lippi has declared China “are defending the honour of 1.4 billion Chinese people” as the under pressure side seek to maintain their slim hopes of qualifying for the 2018 Fifa World Cup against South Korea in Changsha on Thursday amid heightened security as political tensions between the two nations continue to rise.

At the halfway stage of the campaign, China find themselves rooted to the foot of group A with just two points from five games, having draw at home to Qatar last time out in November but having also lost at home to Syria a month prior.

Iran and South Korea top group B, with the leading two sides earning automatic qualification for Russia next year, with China seven points adrift of the third place which offers a route to the finals via two play-off matches.

But with the match important for China’s hopes of a return to the World Cup for the first time since their only appearance in 2002, as well as the general image of the game following significant investment into the Chinese Super League this season, it has taken on another aspect.

China players during training. Photo: Xinhua

Relations with China deteriorated after South Korea agreed with the United States to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system in the country, which has kick-started a series of retaliations from Beijing, meaning the game at He Long Stadium in Changsha will be played surrounded by “unprecedented” security.