Dengfeng (China) (AFP) – The young martial arts pupils cartwheeled across a pitch, before football coach Sun Dawei ordered one to deliver him a kung fu kick to the stomach. "You see I avoid the kick like this," Sun said, dodging out of harm's way before grabbing his young charge's leg and throwing him to […]

Beijing (AFP) – Marcello Lippi said China's hopes of reaching the next World Cup aren't dead and buried yet after they were unlucky not to snatch all the points in his first game in charge. China drew 0-0 with Qatar to remain bottom of Group A but Lippi took heart from a bright performance when […]

Beijing (AFP) – China's chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia are "not impossible but definitely worrying", new Italian coach Marcello Lippi said Friday. The 68-year-old – who led his own country to victory in the 2006 mondial – was named the national team's new boss by the Chinese Football Association […]

Beijing (AFP) – China's latest football defeat has left the country's World Cup hopes in tatters, led the national team's coach to fall on his sword and even prompted state media to ask if the programme should start again from scratch. China coach Gao Hongbo announced his resignation at a press conference in Tashkent following […]

Beijing (AFP) – China's national football coach Gao Hongbo announced his resignation after a 2-0 defeat to Uzbekistan left the perennially underachieving side's hopes of reaching Russia 2018 hanging by a thread. The loss in Tashkent on Tuesday left Team Dragon bottom of their third stage qualifying group for the next World Cup, with only […]

Beijing (AFP) – Teenage forward Zhang Yuning has given China's World Cup hopes a lift after a bustling competitive debut confirmed his emergence as one of the country's most exciting new football talents. The Dutch-based 19-year-old, instantly recognisable by his slicked-back hair, proved a real handful for Iran's defence as China held Asia's top-ranked side […]

Seoul (AFP) – Zheng Zhi's early own goal ultimately condemned China to a 3-2 defeat to South Korea on Thursday despite a spirited fight-back in their 2018 World Cup qualifier. China's talisman became their fall-guy as he inadvertently bundled Son Heung-Min's free kick into his own net on 20 minutes at Seoul World Cup Stadium. […]

Chinese soccer clubs are splashing their cash in Europe, as wealthy owners embrace President Xi Jinping's vision of the sleeping Asian giant becoming a new heavyweight in the sport. As January's European transfer window began to swing shut on Monday, clubs in the top two tiers of Chinese soccer had spent more than 200 million […]