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China Reaches World Cup Finals after 44-year Odyssey
China Gets the Qualification to 2002 World Cup
After a 44-year tumultuous Odyssey, China reached the World Cup finals for the first time Sunday in Shenyang when they cleared the last obstacle with a 1-0 win over Oman in an Asian qualifier.
Playmaker Yu Genwei hit in the sole historic goal for China in the first half. With the win, China, who failed in all their past six attempts to qualify for the finals, built an unassailable lead with 16 points in Group B. Their closest opponents UAE or Uzbekistan can only get a maximum 13 points provided that they both win the remained matches.
On the final buzzer of the refree, Bora Milutinovic, China's head coach ran into the picth to hug his players one by one. The spry 57-year-old Serb bolted around the pitch, constantly blowing kisses to the spectators, who were waving red flags and chanting " China qualified. Bora stays with us."
The globe-trotting Milutinovic has fulfilled his contract with China's football association, which required him to steer China into the World Cup finals. And a question crops up before him --- will he stay with China?
China Reaches World Cup Finals after 44-year Odyssey
But Milutinovic, who reportedly had received the invitation from Brazil and Yugoslavia, chose not to answer this question. "It's not time for us to discuss this issue, now I only want to enjoy this moment, the happiest moment in my career."
"It is dangerous to count chicken before they are hatched," he said, "Even before this game, fans began to celebrate our victory. This brought some bad psychological influence to my players. So their performance today was a little abnormal."
He refused to foresee the China's chance in the finals. "It is premature for us to talk about that," said Milutinovic, who led four different teams to the World Cup finals, "Everybody here knows that China is not a strong team. Asia is rather backward in soccer. And other Asian teams performed not so well in the World Cup finals."
Though China did not bring out their best, they were still much better than Asian minnows Oman. In the 35th minute, 27-year-old Yu, replacement of China's top scorer Qi Hong who was abscent through suspension, put the hosts 1-0 ahead when he raced to a head cross by forward Hao Haidong and drove it past Oman's goalkeeper Sulaiman Mazroei.
"I felt much proud for this goal," Yu said, "Everybody wants to score this historic goal. And I am happy that the chance fell to my feet."
With their first ever qualification only a draw away, China failed to launch fierce blitz in this game as they did in their recent two home games.
They were held at bay, finding it hard to penetrate Oman's dogged defence. They didn't get their first shot until the 29th minute when Yu Genwei saw his shot fly over the bar.
China got another scoring chance in the 53th minute when striker Yang Chen, who plays with Frankfurt of Germany, dribbled past charging Mazroei, only to see his first goal in the group matches was denied by the left post.
China waged their first assault on the World Cup finals in 1957, but succumbed to Indonesia. And from 1980 to 1997 they made five consecutive attempts, but all in vain, leaving Chinese fans in great agony.
Asian World Cup qualifiers are undergoing in two groups, the top finishers of each will qualify for the finals.
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