Chinese midfielder Dai confident of reaching Asian Cup last 16

DOHA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's midfielder Dai Weijun said on Friday that the team still has the confidence to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup knockout stage, after being held to two goalless draws.

In the third round of Group A next Monday, China, with two points, will take on host Qatar who has already won the group with six points. China needs a win to guarantee a last-16 berth.

"We are now in a very confident mindset to prepare for the next match. We hope to enter the knockout stage," Dai noted.

However, Dai admitted that the team was a little bit nervous in the beginning. "We really wanted to win in the tournament, but it was not that easy."

"In a tournament like Asian Cup, sometimes it's not a good thing to come into the match early. Therefore, I think we are on the right track if we can stick to our football style and tactics," he added.

Chinese left back Liu Yang said he would enjoy the match against the host team. "Qatar also plays with five defenders, their football style is quite similar to ours. I know they will have many supporters at home, but it won't be a pressure for me. We just enjoy the match."

"We want to get three points. If we can get a win, we will qualify as runners-up and don't need to calculate the results of other matches. The procedure might be difficult, and we will try our best and fight for it," Liu noted.

A total of 24 teams are competing in six groups at the Asian Cup, which runs from January 12 to February 10. Group winners and runners-up will advance to the knockout stage, along with the best four third-placed teams.