Chinese Team Arrives in Macao for World Cup Warm-up
The Chinese team flew to Macao Thursday evening from Shanghai to play a World Cup warm-up game against Portugal scheduled for May 25.
When the 23 team members and their coaches stepped out of an airliner, they were warmly welcomed by officials from the Macao Sports Development Board and local students, who brandished the national flag and flag of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) amid drum and music. A few soccer stars chatted with reporters they are familiar with.
Most team members believe the warm-up will be just a kind of practice and the scores will not be that important.
Ma Mingyu told the media that it does not matter whether Luis Figo will play the match or not. It is widely believed that Figo will not play in Macao as it is the World Cup that is vital for him, though a Macao doctor said he is in "sound conditions".
The Chinese team, now staying in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, will meet with chief executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah of the Macao SAR Friday noon and conduct intense training in the night.
A local sports official told Xinhua that Macao is well poised for the match and soccer fans will hopefully watch splendid performances.
The Chinese team plans to fly to South Korea shortly after the warm-up in Macao. China is drawn in Group C, alongside Brazil, Turkey and Costa Rica.