CHINESE men’s soccer team of 31 players boarded a chartered flight bound for Doha, Qatar earlier Thursday, not knowing the date of return.

China took a large squad to Doha where they will be joined by Espanyol striker Wu Lei.

The Chinese players will host Japan in a FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Doha, Qatar, on Sept. 7, five days after they play away against Australia in the same place.

All their home fixtures’ venues except the Japan game of the third round Asia FIFA World Cup qualification remain undecided.

“We originally planned to hold the match against Japan in Shanghai, but due to domestic pandemic prevention and controlling policies, we had to move it to Doha,” said Chen Yongliang, vice secretary-general of the Chinese Football Association.

The Chinese players have to brace themselves for the prospect of playing their next home tie, against Vietnam on Oct. 7, on foreign soil too.

“We try to have the Oct. 7 tie held in China, yet we cannot rule out the possibility of playing it abroad,” said Chen.

“We have to be prepared for that,” he added.

Head coach of China Li Tie joked he is mentally and logistically prepared.

“I have stocked up on enough tea for myself to consume for three months,” he said.

He said he knew what is lying in wait for his players.

“It’s really hard, and I know what they will have to face during the next three months,” he said.

“That was the reason why I still allowed the players to leave the training camp and dine out last Friday,” he said.

He asked his players to take the rough with the smooth and try to make the best of the uncertainties.

“You’d better enjoy things that you cannot change,” he said.

China, ranked 71st in the world, is expected to have a rough ride on the pitch against Australia and Japan, ranked 35th and 24th respectively.

But Li believes that the tricky side of the game will give his team chances to pull off positive results.

“In soccer, it is not that I have no chance to beat you because you are stronger than me,” he said.

China has been drawn against Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Oman in the final round of the Asian Zone qualifying tournament, which will be played in a home-and-away round-robin format.

The top two of the group will qualify directly, and the third finisher will enter playoffs. (Xinhua)