China needs to be mentally prepared against Vietnam, says Chinese defender Yu

SHARJAH, UAE - Chinese defender Yu Dabao suggested that China needs to focus on mental preparation ahead of its FIFA World Cup qualifier against Vietnam.

The Chinese side is undergoing a demanding training program in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates to prepare for the Vietnam encounter which is scheduled on October 7.

"I did not follow the Vietnam team that much before, but I know some small Asian countries have been developing football very fast," said Yu.

The former Benfica player is more worried about Chinese players' morale following defeats to Australia and Japan rather than Vietnam.

"We did not play well in the first two matches (against Australia and Japan), where we saw the gap between us and them. But we cannot give up and need to perform well in the next two games against Vietnam and Saudi Arabia," he said.

"I am sure we have a physical advantage against Vietnam, and we need to be mentally prepared. For us, it is important to have self-confidence," he added.

China's campaign for the final stage of Asia World Cup qualification got off to an undesired start as they were outclassed by Australia 3-0 and Japan 1-0 in their first two games.

Head coach Li Tie then vowed to work his players into better shape through a one-month long training camp in Sharjah, where some players complained about boredom.

"This is a closed training camp and we are confined to training fields and the hotel," said Yu.

"After training sessions, we have to stay at the hotel being able to do nothing but drink tea or watch football together to amuse ourselves," he added.