Jakarta –
China’s renewed confidence will face the ultimate test on Tuesday as Branko Ivankovic’s side hosts Japan while looking to build on consecutive World Cup qualifying wins against the team that dished out a comprehensive 7-0 thrashing in September.
Victories over Indonesia and Bahrain have seen the Chinese overcome a run of three losses at the start of the third phase of Asian qualifying to rekindle dreams of a first World Cup appearance since their debut in 2002.
But the strength of China’s recovery will be challenged when Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu leads the runaway Group C leader into Xiamen, which may dredge up painful memories of that seven-goal defeat at Saitama Stadium in September.