national soccer team
prepare for war in a foreign land
Doha becomes a temporary stronghold
China's men's football team in the first match of the World Preliminary Round 12 on September 7, originally planned to face Japan at home, but the situation has changed suddenly, China's men's football team will have to play in a different place. The CFA has preliminarily selected Doha, Qatar as the "home" to meet this challenge. At present, it seems that from the first match against Japan to the fourth round of matches on October 12 away from Saudi Arabia, China's men's football team will be stationed in West Asia for a long time. As for whether to return to the country afterward, also need to depend on the specific circumstances.
Preparation for departure is imminent
According to the plan, China's men's football team will assemble in Shanghai on August 18 to begin final preparations for the Top 12 tournament. It is expected that around August 26, the men's national football team will take a chartered flight to Doha, Qatar, to prepare for the September 2 away match against Australia. However, as of now, neither the Australian side nor our side has received any official news from Qatar.
The Australian side is unable to host matches at their home ground due to the same strict immigration control restrictions. Although the AFA has been communicating with the relevant government departments to be able to play the matches at home, it has not been able to make a breakthrough so far. Against this backdrop, the AFA contacted the Qatar Football Association (QFA) as early as late July and formally requested that the first home match on September 2 be held in Doha, Qatar. The CFA also made the same request after receiving the relevant information.
However, the Qatar Football Association, in view of the current epidemic in Qatar and the relevant epidemic prevention policy, need to report to the Qatar government health department and epidemic prevention department, in order to allow the Australian team and China's team to put the home stadium in Doha after obtaining consent. However, up to now, the Qatari side has not given a clear answer to the Australian Football Association (AFA) and the Chinese Football Association (CFA). That is why there is no official word from either the AFL or the CFA so far. The Australian Football Association has not released the specific address and kick-off time for the first round of matches, and the same is true for the Chinese Football Association, i.e., the specific address and kick-off time for the second round of matches against Japan on September 7 have not yet been officially announced.
Despite the lack of certainty from the Qatari side, it is understood that both the Australian Football Association (AFA) and the Chinese Football Association (CFA) are making preparations under the scenario that the matches will be played in Doha. The CFA has also made preparations that in the unlikely event that the Qatari side does not agree, the CFA will opt to travel to the UAE, Sharjah, which will play the final round of the 40-team tournament in June this year, as an alternate.
Our men's football team in West Asia to complete the first two rounds of tournaments of the preparatory work is still in order. However, it is believed that our men's soccer team itself and fans are more concerned about what will be arranged next. From the current situation, China's men's football team departed for West Asia on August 26 or so, in the October 12 away from the game with Saudi Arabia before the end of the game, I'm afraid that will not be able to return to the country, but the probability of the whole stay in West Asia.
Due to the domestic anti-epidemic policy, if the national team comes back to China after the match against Japan on September 7, the quarantine policy of "14+7" will be implemented. In other words, all members of the national team will be released from quarantine on September 29 at the earliest. But even if the quarantine is lifted, the national team can only give all players a day off at most, because on October 7, China's men's football team will face Vietnam at home for the third round of matches. And, given the current situation, will they be able to play at home by then? It is still unknown. If it is still not possible to play at home, then we can only fly to West Asia. This involves jet lag and travel expenses.
In this case, our men's national team and the CFA decided that after the match with Japan, the team and the related staff would simply stay in West Asia, so that on the one hand, the team can continue to prepare for the match, and on the other hand, they can also avoid the consumption of traveling back and forth as well as the impact of jet lag. Of course, all the team members and staff members will have to work relatively hard and stay away from their home countries and families for some time to come. But this is also the best choice for our men's soccer team and the CFA under the current situation.
It is understood that the team, after playing the match against Japan in Doha, is likely to choose the camps in Sharjah or Dubai in the UAE, as it did during the 40-team tournament, and at the same time place the home match against Vietnam in the UAE, and then, from the UAE, fly to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia to challenge the Saudi team on the road. In this way, although the period between the third round on October 7 and the fourth round on October 12 is only five days, it will take only one hour and 50 minutes to two hours to travel from Dubai to Riyadh, and the time difference is only one hour, which will minimize the impact as well as the exertion on the team. It's quicker than flying domestically to Saudi Arabia from the home country's main stadium. Of course, this is not our men's soccer team is willing to give up the home field, is really the situation of the helpless, and is also the best choice after repeated weighing.
According to the schedule, China's men's soccer team will play two home matches in November, i.e., hosting Oman on November 11th and Australia on November 16th. By then, will our men's soccer team be able to return to their home field? It's still uncertain, and much will depend on the outbreak of the epidemic, which will also determine the next step in the national soccer team's itinerary.
Will our men's soccer team remain in West Asia after playing an away match against Saudi Arabia on Oct. 12? Or will they come straight back home from Saudi Arabia? This actually depends on whether the national football team can return to their home field in November. It is reported that the CFA has been communicating with the relevant parties, even if the two rounds of matches against Japan at home on September 7 and Vietnam at home on October 7, has not given up on the possibility of competing for a match at home. But now the pressure of defense and control as well as the overall situation, there is no city in the country is willing to take over the home stadium of the national football team.
It is understood that, as of now, the Chinese Football Association is still trying its best, on the one hand, hope that the domestic epidemic can be quickly and effectively controlled, the situation has become better; on the other hand, also with the relevant parts of the communication and liaison, and strive to be able to return to the home field in November. Once returned to the home game, this will undoubtedly play a positive role in the national football team to play a good game. But in the present situation, the national football team can only find a way to overcome the various disadvantages and difficulties of not being able to play at home, and strive to have a good performance.
