Perrin hopes China will be ready for the challenge

China is hoping a young line-up and a new coach will bring a change of fortunes as it bids to reach the Asian Cup knockout stages for the first time in more than a decade.

The world's most populous nation is one of football's biggest underachievers but recent success at club level provides a glimmer of hope for Alain Perrin's side.

China, with a population of 1.3 billion and growing financial muscle, has mystifyingly stalled since reaching its first and only World Cup in 2002.

It came perilously close to missing its first Asian Cup in 11 editions, but scraped through on goal difference as the best-performing third-placed team in the qualifying groups.

However, Guangzhou Evergrande earned respect last year when it became China's first winner of the AFC Champions League, led by World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi.

Now Perrin, formerly of Lyon and Portsmouth, will try to steer China past the group stage for the first time since 2004, when it reached the final on home soil. The 58-year-old Frenchman arrived in February at the helm of a side in flux after the sacking of expensively hired ex-Real Madrid and Spain boss Jose Antonio Camacho.

Perrin's first competitive squad features seven players from Guangzhou Evergrande, including its captain and talisman Zheng Zhi, the only player who is over 30.

Striker Yang Xu was selected along with Gao Lin, whose goals helped Guangzhou win last year's Champions League as well as a fourth straight domestic title this season.

Perrin's first game in charge was China's final qualifier, a 1-3 loss to Iraq in March when Zhang Xizhe's second-half penalty was enough to see it squeak through on goal difference.

But China has lost only one of its 10 friendlies since, a 1-3 defeat to Mali, and has carved out wins against Macedonia, Kuwait, Paraguay and Thailand.

Its task looks challenging but not insurmountable in Group B, where it will compete with Uzbekistan, three-time winner Saudi Arabia and North Korea for one of two quarterfinal slots.

"We are not the favorite, we do not have the best chance," Perrin said, when asked about China's Asian Cup chances. "What I know is that the players are ready to give the best they can... anything is possible."

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