Beijing, China, February 15, 2023: China’s men’s football team will play 10 matches in February and March as part of their preparations for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China this September, Xinhua News reports.
The Chinese squad, comprised of 24 players aged under 24 for the Asian Games, departed for Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, February 14 after completing a 10-day training camp in Foshan, Guangdong province, according to a press release from the Chinese Football Association.
The players have had intensive training at the camp under head coach Aleksandar Jankovic, the CFA press release said.
"We had two training sessions every day from Monday to Saturday. Only on Sunday afternoon we had a rest," the release quoted an unnamed player as saying.
The Chinese side, who played only seven competitive matches over the past three and half years, need high-quality games to whip them into shape, the CFA said in its release.
They will play eight games in Dubai before going to New Zealand to play two more against the hosts.
"The core of the Asian Games team preparations in 2023 is to play more high-quality games," the release said.
The 19th Asian Games is scheduled from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.