SPORTS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2016 China’s WC chances worrying, says Lippi BEIJING: China’s chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia are “not impossible but definitely worrying”, new Italian coach said yesterday. The 68-year-old, who won the tournament with his own country in 2006, was named the national team’s new boss by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) over the weekend. He faces the difficult challenge of steer- ing the hapless Asian giant to the tournament, a near impossible feat after recent losses to Uzbekistan and war-torn Syria. “The qualifying table for the 2018 World Cup is worrying, not impossible but definitely worrying,” Lippi told his first press con- ference in Beijing. “I want to build the team, help the players improve, to have confidence in themselves. If we win three or four games and miss out on qualification by just one point, that will still represent progress.” Lippi boasts an impressive CV that includes nine successful years at Juventus, although his second turn in charge of Italy ended in an ignominious first-round exit at South Africa 2010. He went on to coach Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande to three consecutive Chinese Super League titles between 2012 and 2014, and the AFC Champions League crown in 2013, their first win in the Asian tournament. Improving Chinese football at the club and national level has been a priority for President Xi Jinping. Even before taking office he underlined his ambitions for China to qualify for, host and one day win the World Cup. But it is a LYON: Lyon’s fans display a banner reading “A reaction and fast” after their team lost the French L1 football Herculean task. match between and EA Guingamp on October 22, 2016, at the Parc Olympique China is the most populous nation on earth but holds a lowly Lyonnais. —AFP 84th place in the FIFA world rankings, between Guatemala and Kenya. They have only ever qualified for one final tournament, in 2002, when they lost all three of their group games and did not score a single goal. In the current campaign China have claimed Crisis-hit Lyon desperate just one point from four games in the latest World Cup Asian qual- ification phase and are bottom in Group A, which includes Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Syria and Qatar. to halt alarming slump Their previous coach announced his resignation after a 2-0 away defeat to Uzbekistan earlier this month. At yester- day’s briefing, Chinese Football Association president Cai PARIS: Struggling Lyon will attempt to Monaco still to come. Alassane Plea’s hat- Monaco, with a victory at the Stade Pierre Zhenhua acknowledged that “the national team’s level is pretty halt their alarming dip in form away to trick ensured Nice remained four points Mauroy this weekend. Monaco could weak. We hope that under our new high-level coach we will be Toulouse today as the pressure mounts clear at the top, and coach Lucien Favre is have Portugal Joao Moutinho able to play well in the qualifiers.” on Bruno Genesio following a run of five set to welcome back Mario Balotelli for back for today’s trip to Saint-Etienne, but defeats in six matches. Lyon lurched into Sunday’s visit to Nantes after the Italian will also have an eye on ‘Jaw-dropping’ salary crisis mode after crashing to a 3-1 home sat out the 4-2 win at Metz through injury. Wednesday’s European tie at home to According to state broadcaster CCTV, Lippi will earn a salary of reverse against Guingamp last weekend, The leaders have also raised CSKA Moscow. 4.5 million euros ($4.9 million). He and his team will also be paid and it won’t get any easier against a more than 120,000 euros ($130,000) for will take charge of 15.5 million euros annually by Evergrande’s football academy to Toulouse side that has been rejuvenated the victims of July’s Bastille Day truck Marseille at the Stade Velodrome for the act as its “advisers”. He declined to confirm the figure, saying it under Pascal Dupraz. “We’re going massacre in the city after auctioning off a first time in Sunday’s game against was confidential. Lippi is the latest foreigner to receive a hefty through a difficult period. We must redis- commemorative kit that bore the names Bordeaux. American owner Frank salary for running the national side following in the footsteps of cover our confidence. Lots of things are of those killed in the attack. PSG coach McCourt continued his overhaul of the Spaniard Jose Antonio Camacho and France’s . linked to that. We have to keep working backed midfielder Marco nine-time French champions on Some commentators have expressed doubts about his together,” Genesio told the club’s in- Verratti to return to his best after the Italy Thursday with the appointment of for- appointment-and its cost. Writing in the China Daily newspaper, house television channel. international’s stroppy reaction to being mer Spain and Barcelona goalkeeper which is published by the government, Huang Xiangyang said he Captain Maxime Gonalons was seen substituted in Sunday’s 0-0 draw at home Andoni Zubizarreta as the club’s new “cannot understand the logic” of the move and Lippi’s “jaw-drop- remonstrating with unhappy supporters to Marseille that left PSG six points sporting director. ping” salary. “History shows monetary incentives are not a after Lyon’s latest defeat, their second behind Nice. “I’m happy with Marco. He’s Zubizarreta carried out the same role panacea for success for the national men’s soccer team,” he wrote. already at Parc OL this season, and admit- important for the team. The way I man- between 2010 and 2015 at Barcelona and “As far as I can recall, the players have rarely played like men, ted the current outlook at the club was age him is the same as the others,” said helped the Spanish champions lure though their incomes have reached astronomical figures.” troubling. “The situation is serious, very Emery, whose side visit Lille on Friday. Neymar and Luis Suarez to the Camp Chinese entrepreneurs have pumped vast sums of money into serious even,” said Gonalons. “We under- “He started (pre-season) later so it’s Nou. Bottom side Lorient are still search- domestic clubs, even luring international stars away from stand the unhappiness of the fans but important to look after his physical state. ing for a new manager after Sylvain Ripoll European leagues. There has also been a splurge of Chinese we’re in the same situation. It’s worrying Now, he has to improve as we move for- was sacked last weekend in the wake of investment in some of Europe’s top clubs, among them Inter and we must get back on track.” ward and I’m sure he will.” their latest defeat. Former Montpellier Milan, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Espanyol and Atletico Madrid. Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas set and Rennes boss had Officials and clubs were eager to “squander money on famous the team a target of 31 points by the win- All change at Marseille been close to taking over but was forced players and coaches”, but much more needed to be done to culti- ter break, a demanding assignment for a PSG go to Basel in the Champions to rule himself out of the job after being vate young talent, with more players, more soccer schools, and side beaten five times in 10 outings with League next Tuesday and would provi- unable to free himself from contracted more children playing “just for fun”, Huang said. —AFP games against Paris Saint-Germain and sionally move up to second, above media work. —AFP Mazembe coach disown favorites tag in CAF final

JOHANNESBURG: TP Mazembe coach Hubert Velud does through a Rainford Kalaba goal. the two legs of the semi-final against Tunisian club Etoile not accept that his Democratic Republic of Congo outfit are “The final is a 50-50 affair,” the coach who has previous Sahel yet scored only one goal.” Mazembe, whose nine CAF favorites to beat Algerian club Mouloudia Bejaia in the CAF experience with several top-flight Algerian clubs told the triumphs include five in the elite Champions League, boast Confederation Cup final. The first leg of a classic David-ver- Congolese media. “Mouloudia have proved their worth and the most multi-national club side in Africa with stars from DR sus-Goliath showdown is set for Stade Mustapha Tchaker in I am not surprised that they qualified for the Confederation Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali and Zambia. Blida Saturday with the return match eight days later at Cup final. “Having worked at several Algerian clubs as a Among those stars is Zambia dribbling wizard, captain Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi. coach, I know the mentality of the players extremely well. and winger Kalaba. He has netted six times in the France-born Velud is adamant that Mazembe win- “While some Algerian footballers may lack a little in tal- Confederation Cup this season, making him joint leading ning nine CAF titles and Bejaia competing in Africa for ent, they more than compensate for that with incredible scorer with Arsenio ‘Love’ Cabungula, whose Angolan club the first time this year will have no impact on the des- fighting spirit. “Bejaia have been written off regularly during were eliminated in the play-offs. Congolese pair Jonathan tiny of the trophy. His belief is based on two tight tus- this competition and now they are in the final,” said the 57- Bolingi and Merveille Bope, who boast five CAF goals sles between the clubs at the group stage with the first year-old former goalkeeper. “On our side, there is a need for between them, are others who will require close policing ending goalless and Mazembe winning 1-0 at home better finishing. We created many scoring chances during from a mean Bejaia defence. —AP