China aims to slay dragons

Uruguay faves

On Friday, Uruguay and the Czech Republic square off in the second semifinal.

Uruguay, the only one of the four teams that will play at the World Cup in Russia, must be considered the favorite to lift the China Cup.

Coach Oscar Tabarez is blessed with the superstar firepower of Barcelona's Luis Suarez and Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani in attack, while the Serie A class of Sampdoria's Lucas Torreira and Gaston Ramirez, Matias Vecino (Inter Milan) and Rodrigo Betancur (Juventus) anchors his midfield.

Tabarez is likely to give some lesser lights a chance to win recognition ahead of settling his World Cup roster.

"We don't rule out any player," Tabarez said on Saturday.

"I have to take players to China who I have a chance of seeing. Those players are a priority, ahead of those who I already know."

The Czech Republic, meanwhile, has been struggling in recent years. The Czechs finished third behind Germany and Northern Ireland in 2018 World Cup qualifying Group C, the country's third straight failure to reach the finals.

Coach Karel Jarolim has decided against experimenting with any rookies in China, while Matej Vydra is perhaps the Czechs' most potent attacking threat, having bagged 17 goals for promotion-chasing Derby County in England's Championship this season.