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CHANGSHA, China, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Marcello Lippi have used five months to rebuild faith for Chinese national team and efficiently rekindle their hope to qualify for the 2018 World Cup with a crucial 1-0 victory over South Korea on Thursday night.
The Italian World Cup winning coach, who took over the position from his predecessor Gao Hongbo in last October after China collected merely one point from the first four Asian Zone qualifiers, boosted his side with a draw after 90-minute domination against Qatar and first win over South korea in seven years to get out of the bottom of the 6-team Group A.
With four games left, China, collecting five points in the provisional fifth place, still has chance to earn a qualification ticket.
"Before the match, we knew the importance to win this match. And we worked hard to get the three points we must get. But it is not enough to win a ticket to World Cup. We need to continue this momentum and win the following matches," said Lippi, who will lead China to visit Iran on March 28.
After this hard-fought win on Thursday night, all the Chinese players who were interviewed were quoted by mostly saying -- "The faith and belief Lippi instilled to this team is the key to the improvement."
And their common view can prove that the 68-year-old Italian is not only a specialist in tactics but also an inspirational mental tutor for his long time underachieving players.
REBUILD FAITH
When Lippi first appeared as the national team coach at a press conference last October, his first message to the players and public was a headline for media.
"I know what the players can do in their clubs. The competitive level they showed at the national team in the first four matches was only 40% of their performances in clubs," said Lippi.
From then on, the Italian constantly stressed the importance of confidence and responsibility to the national team.
"You don't need to be jealous of any strong team in Asia because you are all on the same level with them if you put everything onto the pitch," this quoting can always be heard at some press conference Lippi attended.
The positive change is seen in his first match in charge. China had a dominating display against Qatar in 90 minutes, bringing the desperately-needed confidence back to the players.
"Indeed, all of us played our best in this match. This is what we did in clubs. Lippi always said we were second to nothing in Asia and we proved that," said left fullback Jiang Zhipeng after the goalless draw against Qatar in Kunming last November.
The morale could not be found in the same team before Lippi took the coaching position. When China was defeated 2-0 by Uzbekistan on October 11, all the players nearly believed they would be the last of the 12-team qualifiers.
"Maybe you can say we are really the bottom team in this phase of the qualifiers. The result might prove the gap," said central defender Feng Xiaoting after the loss in Tashkent.
But just five months later, Feng seemingly became a different player with high confidence in the 1-0 victory over South Korea last night, when he played both steadily in defence and aggressively in several counter-attacks especially with a courageous long-distance run covering about 50 metres.
"We did it. Chinese football will be better," said Feng with tears of joy after the win. "I always have a dream that Chinese football will enter the world stage one day." he added.
Not only Feng, all the players in the mixed zone expressed the same feeling to journalists that they believe Chinese football team have the strengths to go further and play better, which is the best example to show how Lippi has changed this team.
GUANGZHOU DNA
Five of China's starting 11 against South Korea are from the Guangzhou Evergrande club, where Lippi began his first coaching stint in China from 2012 to 2015.
He led Evergrande to win Chinese Super League three times and stand on the Asian top podium for the first time in 2013, which has earned him reputation in the country.
The five players from Guangzhou last night included the first-choice goal keeper Zeng Cheng, the back three of Zhang Linpeng, Mei Fang and Feng Xiaoting, and the most important man, the veteran captain, Zheng Zhi in a central midfield position.
Among them, Zeng's diving saves to deny close range shots from Ki Sungyueng and Ji Dongwon, Feng's leading role in defensive line, Zhang's sharp breakthrough and pass from the right flank, all showed how important this five-man combination to the national team.
On why he built the team based on the Guangzhou's players, Lippi said on his first day in charge that this was due to their "winning mind".
"These players are from the same club. They have gradually formed the chemistry and winning mind with each other after several seasons. They are the backbone of a team. And this is the safe way to rebuild the national team in a very short time, especially when you face the challenge in qualifiers," said Lippi.
Despite clinching a first victory over South Korea since 2010, Lippi said his side still can play better to keep alive the hope to Russia 2018.
"We still have space to improve. We didn't play the same level as we did in the last match against Qatar," said Lippi.
"Due to the injury and fatigue of several key players, we couldn't field our best lineup in this match. It was not our best form yet. We can do better in the next match." he said.
