20 | Friday,CHINA October DAILY 23, 2020 | HONG KONG EDITION Tuesday, April 2, 2019 ANNOUNCEMENTHONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY | 15 SPORTS

SOCCER China preparing to host ‘biggest and best’ Asian Cup

By SHI FUTIAN stage matches, will also host soccer development in the capital. “All the preparatory work is on the very best in Asian football. It will nal defeat to Iran, which resulted in [email protected] the opening and closing ceremo­ Based on the city’s experience of pre­ track despite the COVID­19 pan­ also demonstrate to the world Chi­ the resignation of China’s World nies, as well as the final. paring for the 2022 Beijing Winter demic and the AFC Asian Cup China na’s ability to stage world­class Cup­winning Italian head coach, The 2023 AFC Asian Cup will be China is treating the tournament Olympics, organizers are confident 2023 will leave an immense legacy events. Marcello Lippi. the “biggest and best” edition of the as another steppingstone to poten­ the preparation process will run for the country to host higher­level “The AFC will support you on this Lippi was succeeded in the job by continental showpiece, organizers tially hosting a FIFA World Cup, smoothly. international soccer events in the exciting journey and will assist you former China international Li Tie in have vowed. possibly as early as 2030 or 2034. Du Zhaocai, a vice­minister of the future,” Du added. wherever we can. We know you will January. On Thursday, details of the tour­ Chen Jining, mayor of Beijing, General Administration of Sport of During Thursday’s ceremony, deliver a wonderful AFC Asian Cup Since then, Li has been endeavor­ nament were confirmed to media at said on Thursday that, as one of the China, considers the 2023 Asian AFC president Shaikh Salman bin in China in 2023.” ing to build a younger squad while a ceremony in Beijing to establish 10 host cities, the capital plans to Cup as a good platform to showcase Ebrahim Al Khalifa extended his Team China has enjoyed a glori­ also integrating a number of natu­ the local organizing committee. level up its development as an inter­ China’s achievements. The event is congratulations to local organizers ous past in the Asian Cup, finishing ralized stars into his setup, includ­ Beijing, , , national communication center. also a great chance to promote Chi­ via a video message. as a runner­up twice, in 1984 in ing Brazil­born Aloisio, known in , , Xi’an, , The mayor added that Beijing will nese cities to the world, boost local “I must thank everyone for their Singapore and in 2004 at Beijing’s Chinese as Luo Guofu, Brazil­born , and will maintain a high standard in facili­ economies and social development outstanding work so far in prepar­ Workers’ Stadium. Ai Kesen (aka Elkeson) and host the 18th edition of the Asian tating the preparations and venue and facilitate soccer growth across ing for what we all agree will be the However, with the rapid develop­ England­born Li Ke (aka Nico Football Confederation tourna­ construction for the Asian Cup, and the nation. biggest and best AFC Asian Cup,” he ment of soccer across Asia, China Yennaris). ment, which will be staged in June that attention to detail will be para­ Organizers are aiming to build said. has fallen behind its continental “I really want to thank the efforts and July 2023 and will feature teams mount in order to ensure the best Asia’s flagship national team tour­ “There are 10 fantastic modern rivals in recent years. of all the players and staff around us. from 24 countries and regions. possible service. nament into a world­class sporting cities in each corner of China. Each The Chinese squad was knocked We are making progress step by step The organizing committee also Additionally, Beijing views the gala and a festival of soccer that will will have a new or renovated foot­ out of 2019 Asian Cup in the United now,” said Li after a national train­ announced that, apart from group­ tournament as a chance to boost be celebrated by the whole nation. ball stadium which will showcase Arab Emirates after a 3­0 quarterfi­ ing camp earlier this month. CSL’s bubble battle comes to the boil Teams embracing highs and lows of the bottom eight teams have gone do chat to each other even if it is “It is a unique situation and we try into a relegation round based in mostly small talk.” to help them as much as possible. lockdown life as season nears finale Dalian. Ghotbi’s team last Saturday beat There are many games to be played Apart from some time earlier this Dalian Pro, a team guided by former which makes it difficult both physi­ When Odil Ahmedov left Shang­ from July — five months late month, most players and staff Liverpool and Real Madrid coach cally and mentally.” hai SIPG to join fellow Chinese because of the coronavirus outbreak involved have been unable to see Rafa Benitez, in the first leg of a rele­ For Ghotbi, as is often the case in Super League club Tianjin Teda in — but players, coaches, referees and family members as the federation gation playoff series. Ghotbi said the soccer, when the situation is going August, the midfielder didn’t have federation officials were sharing the aims to keep the league as safe as seclusion does have some advanta­ well on the field, it helps off the field. to travel anywhere to meet his new same hotel complexes, unable to possible. So far it has worked, with ges for coaches. “Losing in this situation can be coach and colleagues. leave, except to take the bus to the no positive cases reported from the “Staff can use the time to analyze like poison,” he said. “When you are He merely moved to a different stadium on match days. regular testing for coronavirus opponents and plan tactics but with winning people don’t talk too much part of the hotel both teams had “Football is a sport with many sur­ inside the bio­secure bubbles. But it games almost every four days, the sit­ but there are more opinions called home since July, and took a prises and in this special time and has presented head coaches such as uation has been tough for players,” expressed when you lose.” seat at a new breakfast table. special environment, I don’t need to Afshin Ghotbi of Shijiazhuang Ever the American­Iranian coach added. At least the players from Shijia­ In a bid to complete the 2020 sea­ fly anywhere,” Ahmedov told news Brazilian Talisca celebrates Bright with new challenges. The clubs have tried to provide zhuang, as well as 11 other Chinese son in the midst of restrictions site Sohu.com of the unusual cir­ scoring for Guangzhou Ever­ “Logistically, it has been amazing entertainment by installing pool and clubs, know the season will finally caused by the COVID­19 pandemic, cumstances of his move. “I just grande with countryman Paul­ to see eight teams in one location, it mahjong tables as well as karaoke finish on Nov 12. the Chinese Football Association changed buildings and completed a inho during a 5­0 Chinese Super is like three World Cups back to machines in the hotel headquarters, But for Choi’s Shenhua team — as decided to split the 16 top­tier CSL transfer ... No problem.” League quarterfinal on Wednes­ back,” Ghotbi told AP. “All these peo­ but Shanghai Shenhua’s South Kore­ well as Guangzhou Evergrande, teams into two groups based in the The first phase of the competition day. XINHUA ple get fed three times a day every an head coach, Choi Kang­hee, Shanghai SIPG and Beijing Guo’an hub cities of Dalian, Liaoning prov­ was staged between July 22 and day. We see each other in the gym knows that the season has been — there is more of the same to come ince, and Suzhou, Jiangsu province. Sept 28 before a brief recess ahead The top eight teams have gone and at breakfast sometimes. demanding for all involved. in Qatar. So not only were the eight teams of the second phase, which started into a playoff round based in Suzhou “Most teams have their own areas “They are here all the time and in each group based in those cities last Friday. to continue pursuit of the title, and and keep to that, though the coaches many miss their families,” Choi said. 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