Wu Lei called home as China prepares for World Cup qualifiers
China sits eight points behind Syria in its group with four games to play.
The great hope of Chinese menโs soccer, forward Wว Lฤi ๆญฆ็ฃ, is being called home. Currently the only national teamer playing abroad, Wu has been told to leave Espanyol ahead of a crucial stretch of World Cup qualifiers.
Barcelona-based Espanyol shouldnโt have a big problem with Wu’s departure. Espanyol, currently playing in Spain’s second division, clinched promotion back to Li Liga on May 8 with a 0-0 draw.
Wu has had a difficult season, starting just eight times during the current campaign โ causing Chinese commentators to call for him to return. He has made 31 appearances and scored twice in league games. This past Friday, Wu made his first start since December 2 in a 2-0 loss to Cartagena. He had a fairly unremarkable game and was substituted early in the second half, with his side trailing.
The 29-year-old returns to Chinaโs national team for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19, with his last national team appearance coming in November 2019. This will also be the first time Wu has played under manager Lว Tiฤ ๆ้.
Wu is the second all-time goalscorer in Chinese Super League history. He will need to find his golden touch in Chinaโs upcoming games against Guam, Philippines, Maldives, and Syria. China needs to win all four if it wants a chance to catch current table-toppers Syria.
Syria is currently 5-0 in the second round Group A qualifiers. China is 2-1-1, and sits eight points back. If Syria wins its next two games, it will clinch the group before its final group game against China.
The four best runners-up across eight groups will go to the third and final round of qualifying, so China doesnโt have to win Group A. Either way, making it to the next round will be a tall task.
All the remaining fixtures will be hosted in Suzhou from May 30 to June 15.
Five naturalized players โ Brazilian-born รi Kรจsฤn ่พๅ ๆฃฎ (Elkeson), ฤ Lรกn ้ฟๅ ฐ (Alan Carvalho), Fรจi Nรกnduล ่ดนๅๅค (Fernandinho), and English-born Jiวng Guฤngtร i ่ๅ ๅคช (Tyias Browning) and Lว Kฤ ๆๅฏ (Nico Yennaris) โ have also been called up to Liโs 26-man squad.
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Kris Wu claims podium in GT3 debut
Chinese-Canadian actor, singer, and model Kris Wu (ๅดไบฆๅก Wรบ Yรฌfรกn) finished third on his Porsche GT3 race debut in the Am+ category in the inaugural GT Super Sprint Challenge Cup opening round at Shanghai International Circuit.
#GTSSC – ๐ Promising signs for Absolute Racing drivers at the inaugural GT Super Sprint Challenge round in Shanghai๐จ๐ณ.
๐ Porsche China Motorsport Representative
Kris Wu took an Am+ podium on his #GT3 race debut weekend and the fastest lap overall in Race 2.#AbsoluteRacing pic.twitter.com/VmCZVfgSpp— Absolute Racing (@absolute_racing) May 9, 2021
Itโs a pretty niche series, designed for Porsche motorsport enthusiasts and various dealerships around China โ and Wu has brought a spotlight to the series never before seen.
Racing for Absolute Racing in the Porsche Super Sprint Challenge series, the celebrity also claimed the fastest lap of the race. As an amateur driver, Wu races in his own category against other amateur drivers, often wealthy patrons who support the financing of the teams.
Wu debuted in motorsports at the start of last season in the slower GT4 category as part of the Porsche Sports Cup Asia series.
The Porsche racing series was canceled early into last season due to the pandemic. The Porsche cups, which usually race across Asia, will be restricted to China this year, with a potential stop in Singapore.
The usual international driver lineup has been replaced with an almost entirely Chinese lineup, with only one foreign team appearing this season.
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Other Stories:
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Coalition Calls For Boycott Of Beijing Olympics Over Alleged Human-Rights Abuses (AP)
UFC owners Endeavor to acquire Chinese digital sports agency Mailman Group (Sport Business)
Sun Yang rival Mack Horton on Olympic protests and potentially talking to the Chinese swimmer in the future (ABC)
Chinese rocket crash startle Aussie cricketers in Maldives (Republic World)
Theย China Sports Columnย runs every week on The China Project.
