But the team could come crashing down to earth with a bump next week in Iran
Chinese media reacted jubilantly to the that kept slim World Cup 2018 qualification hopes alive. Official state newspaper summed up the sentiment by posting on Weibo that the narrow win in Changsha, Hunan province, had “won the hearts of 1.3 billion people”. The post added “we expect China’s reds to deliver miracles”. China still have only the slimmest hope of reaching the World Cup in Russia, and next Tuesday could see the euphoria quickly deflated. But for now, all is well in China’s football world with the win – China’s first in the group in their sixth game – being hailed as a masterstroke from coach Marcello Lippi, a World Cup winner with Italy. “The number one hero is undoubtedly the national football coach Lippi,” a People’s Daily article read. Lippi, formerly Guangzhou Evergrande’s manager, was appointed in October with China bottom of their group with one draw and three defeats. He is unbeaten in four games since taking over. “Silver Fox Lippi and his team didn’t give up the idea of creating miracles and the win over Korea creates the first impossible step,” wrote Sohu.
