Qatar 2022 World Cup: Wu Lei starts for Espanyol before returning for China duty

Forward plays 57 minutes in 2-0 loss to Cartagena before returning to meet up with national team for Qatar 2022 qualifiers

Wu, who has not played for China since November 2019, has had a stop-start season in Spain’s Segunda Division

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Espanyol's Wu Lei celebrates his goal during a Spanish second division football match between RCD Espanyol and Real Sporting de Gijón last December. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 4:09pm, 15 May 2021Updated: 4:08pm, 15 May 2021

China’s star footballer Wu Lei has ended his season with Spanish side Espanyol to return home for his country’s crucial Fifa World Cup qualifiers.

Wu signed off with a rare start for the Segunda Division side – his first since the teams met previously on December 2 and only his eighth start of the season before being substituted in the 57th minute.

Espanyol secured promotion last weekend bouncing back to the top flight at the first attempt after being relegated last season. Wu was a part of the celebrations.

Chinese media outlet Titan Sports wrote on Twitter that Wu, who is the only overseas-based player in the squad, would be back in China on May 18 to join up with the national team.

China’s hopes of qualifying for the Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup rest on matches with Guam, Maldives, Philippines and table-topping Syria, which kick off on May 30.

Li Tie has called Wu up for the first time since November 2019 when he scored in China’s qualifying loss to Syria. These will be Li’s first competitive games in charge since taking over from Marcello Lippi on a permanent basis.