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Tim Maitland

In Beijing

GROUP A

Three months ago China did not look like they would be ready, not because the four venue cities were Athens-like building sites, but because the national team couldn't punch their way out of a wet paper bag.

As Hong Kong fans that witnessed the World Cup qualifier at the end of March could attest, the mainland's attack was veteran Hao Haidong or nothing. A case of Hao or what?

The turning point, not unlike the seminal 5-0 defeat in France for Philippe Troussier's Japan side and the 5-0 defeats Guus Hiddink's teams suffered against the French and the Czechs the year before the World Cup, was a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Barcelona in the Nou Camp in April.

Before that date China had laboured to 1-0 wins over Hong Kong and Kuwait in World Cup qualifying and only Hao ever looked like scoring.

After the trip to Europe, which also included a 0-0 draw in Andorra and 1-0 win in Algeria, Arie Haan's side went on a spree: a 2-1 win over Hungary, a 4-0 World Cup thrashing of Malaysia and a 6-0 Asian Cup warm-up against Lebanon.

'Sometimes it's good to take a blow on the nose,' said Haan. 'After Barcelona they started to think that if we do this in training we can go and be as good as Barcelona. I think it has helped, but it's always good to play stronger teams.'

The humiliation in Spain presented Haan with a more malleable squad, one with a greater understanding of the qualities needed to step up to the next level and more willing to work on them. The subsequent weaker opposition has brought rewards.

'The opponents were not of the same calibre, but it is always good for confidence. But there's also the danger of believing in yourself too much. You need both,' the Dutchman added.

'We scored late in the games against Kuwait and Hong Kong. In the other games we've scored in the first half. It's important because the opposition has to open their game a little bit.

'The Chinese players can play and use the space that the opposition gives us. But I think the team are improving every day. Our playing of the ball, our taking positions, our scoring goals, everything is coming better and better. It's not only the time in Europe; it could have been time in South America. It is because we've had time. We've had a lot of training. Trying again and again. We're getting our fruits from all our work. It's been one and a half years of hard work, and now we're getting better and better.'

The most gratifying aspect for Haan is the fact that the goals are coming from every angle: Zhou Haibin and Zheng Zhi against Hungary, Hao, Sun Jihai and Li Xiaopeng against Malaysia; then Li Jinyu, Yan Song, Li Ming, Zhang Shuo and Li Yi (the Shenzhen star's first international goal) in last week's friendly against the Lebanese.

'It is different players who are scoring. What was interesting against Lebanon is that the forwards were all scoring. It's very important that we can score without Hao,' Haan admitted.

Earlier this year Shandong's Li Jinyu, for all the problems with his attitude, was being played alongside Hao because it seemed Haan was so limited for choice. Now, when Haan talks about his attack, he talks like a coach who has options.

'Li Jinyu is doing well and scoring for Shandong. For power we have Li Yi and we have the young boy Zhang Shuo who we don't think Tianjin use often enough. He has ability.

' Li Yi is coming back. He's better and better. He set up the goal against Algeria. Against Hungary he played well. He came on against Malaysia and played a part in winning the penalty, then he scored his first international goal against Lebanon. He's improving. He's understanding what I want. He's becoming better and better.'

The one possibility that Haan might not have is Shao Jiayi. The 1860 Munich striker is nearing the end of the long road to recovery after knee surgery, but Haan admits that the competition might be one stop too soon on that trip. 'He needs a lot of games. He has no rhythm. I don't know if he'll be ready for the Asian Cup,' the Dutchman lamented.

However Haan has the added bonus of the new-found attacking prowess of 27-year-old midfielder Li Xiaopeng, a member of Bora Milutinovic's 2002 World Cup squad who didn't find favour with the new coach until this season, when in a more offensive role he scored six times in six games for Shandong and twice against Malaysia.

'I didn't like his game last year. That's why I didn't select him. But in the league this year I saw him playing as a number 10, scoring goals and being very offensive and so I brought him into the team,' Haan explained.

'He has the confidence to score and when he came to the national team he did the same. It's not the same Li Xiaopeng as last year. Then I saw him and wasn't satisfied.'

Where Haan is definitely satisfied is in defence. China could have had problems ushering in a new generation of defenders to replace veterans Fan Zhiyi and Zhang Enhua. Olympic team captain and Shanghai Shenhua stopper Du Wei had appeared to be the heir apparent under Bora, but Haan sticks with the unconventional Shenzhen Jianlibao partnership of Li Weifeng and Zheng, the latter used as a creative midfielder by his club.

'They do a very good job together at the back. You have one good defender [Li] and one very good player [Zheng] with a good eye for defending. It's a very good couple,' Haan insisted.

'Zheng can play everywhere - left defence, right defence, midfield, attacker, but if he wants to play at a really high level it will be as a defender,' he added. 'I'm not only talking about for China, he can play in Europe as a defender. He has the speed and an eye for it.'

Of course China are still without Everton's Li Tie, victim of a leg broken in training in Guangdong prior to the trip to Hong Kong, and the condition of the other English-based star Sun Jihai remained something of a mystery, because until last week he hadn't been training with the national squad. 'We haven't had Sun Jihai. He has been having private training with his father,' confirmed the somewhat bemused coach.

Haan also admits to being baffled by what to expect from the other nations at the Asian Cup. 'I know Japan, Korea and Saudi Arabia of course, but all the others I don't know. When we win against Lebanon, who had just made a good game in Korea, it's all so confusing.'

Equally as confusing are the FIFA rankings, which have China, 2002 World Cup finalists and semi-finalists at the last Asian Cup, ranked below two of their Group A rivals - Bahrain, who have never won a game at an Asian Cup, and Qatar.

'Bahrain are a very good team. It's a team who have had European coaches for a long time,' said Haan who checked out last week's friendly between Bahrain and Thailand in Bangkok.

The tiny Arabian island has been improving beyond all belief since 2001 when German coach Wolfgang Sidka took them to the final round of Asia's World Cup qualifying, and Croatian Srecko Juricic

'I played against Sidka when he played for Bremen and Hertha. I remember him injuring one of our players really badly. They're physically very strong and have a lot of speed. They're strong at the back and the guys at the front can play a bit.'

In theory, Qatar should be equally as strong, but the feeling is that former Japan coach Philippe Troussier, who made himself available, unsuccessfully, to the South Koreans, is not enjoying a happy relationship with his players.

'I think he's not satisfied with the raw material he has. It will be difficult for him to reach the same level with Qatar as he did with Japan. I don't know the team, but it's our third game. We have time to look.'

China's second game against Indonesia, who could include Kitchee striker Rochi Putiray, will probably be the easiest of the three matches. The key, it would seem, is getting off to a good start against Bahrain.

'Portugal lost their first game at Euro 2004 and still reached the final, but winning it is very important,' Haan conceded. 'You have to work on the confidence of the fans, but you have an opponent who doesn't want what you want.'

In a fit of optimism after the Lebanon game Haan exclaimed that his side could even win the Asian Cup if they continued that way. In the cold light of day, when asked for his gut feeling, he's far more circumspect.

'Don't ask me. I've always got good feelings. You have to be positive and you have to push your luck,' he said.

'We have to like our system and our identity. We have to make small changes, a little here a little there. Maybe we have to make changes during the game, playing one attacker, two attackers, maybe three. I try to get them to see what the other team is doing.

'If they only have one attacker then move up and we'll attack with three. We're learning.'

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

2000 Japan beat Saudi Arabia in Lebanon

1996 Saudi Arabia beat UAE in UAE

1992 Japan beat Saudi Arabia in Japan

1988 Saudi Arabia beat Korea in Qatar

1984 Saudi Arabia beat China in Singapore

1980 Kuwait beat Korea in Kuwait

1976 Iran beat Kuwait in Iran

1972 Iran beat Korea in Thailand

1968 Iran beat Burma in Iran

1964 Israel beat India in Israel

1960 Korea beat Israel in Korea

1956 Korea beat Israel in Hong Kong



Barca debacle sees China peak at the right time