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China national soccer team
World Qualifying Round (WQR)
Elite 18
The preliminary list is out and has attracted a lot of attention from the fans. Head coach Ivankovic has reportedly circled more than 50 players, of which at least six new faces will appear. The list will be submitted to the AFC this week, no later than August 5th.
Tianjin Jinmen Tigers FC is the center of attention in this preliminary list as they have players in both the backline and forward positions. Among them, the wingback tomorrow is very likely to appear in the list with his excellent offensive and defensive performance, as well as all-around skills. As for the midfield position, although there is no resource of excellent players for the time being, Wang Qiuming's performance is considered to be the best. As for the forward position, Barton, who has recently returned to form, is expected to take the place of Wei Shihao or Lin Liangming, both of whom have not been performing well recently.
In addition, Beijing Youth Daily revealed that the coaching staff is very concerned about the three newcomers, Hou Yongyong, Wu Shaochong and Gumitie Jiang. Hou Yongyong's performance in the Norwegian League has been eye-catching, and if the intensity of the Norwegian League is equal to or even higher than that of the Chinese Super League, he will have a great chance to be reused in the national team. Wu Shaochong, on the other hand, is able to play as a center back and wing back with his height advantage, and has just recently completed a contract extension with the Turkish Super League team, which also proves his strength. Gumitijiang, on the other hand, has had good performances in Wuhan Sanzhen, and his calmness on the ball and hardness in defense have made him a player to watch out for.
However, the national soccer team lacks good players in terms of side running ability, and Hu Huotao fits the bill. However, with a recent ligament injury that will take three weeks to recover from, it is uncertain whether he will be able to make the national team tour. Another player of interest, Han Jiaqi, has an emotional goalkeeper profile that makes his form fluctuate a lot in international matches, but he makes excellent saves when he is on fire, so the coaching staff may consider giving him a run in the national team.
All in all, there will be at least six new faces on this preliminary list, including Tianjin Jinmen Tigers' Tomorrow, Wang Qiuming and Barton, as well as newcomers such as Hou Yongyong, Wu Shaochong, Gumitijiang and Hu Huhetao. Although the specific list is still waiting for the official announcement, the addition of these players will undoubtedly add fresh blood to the national soccer team's journey to the World Qualifiers.
