China must push themselves to the limit against Vietnam: coach

"I respect my opponent, especially after seeing how the Vietnamese team have performed. They have always played games in high spirits from beginning to end. I also saw that the Vietnamese team are well-organized and able to maintain their formation well," Li said at a press meet Monday.

Vietnam have entered the third qualifying round for the World Cup for the very first time, but have scored no points in Group B. In their previous match against China in the UAE, Vietnam lost 2-3.

"I have told my players to do their best if they hope to win against Vietnam tomorrow," Li said.

In their five games in Group B, China managed to win only five points, meaning they will not be able to participate in the World Cup finals. The disappointing result meant former coach Li Tie had to leave and be replaced by Li Xiaopeng.

Under Xiaopeng, China lost to Japan 0-2 in their January 27 match. However, the new coach has said that China would not go easy on their opponents, including Vietnam, in their remaining matches.

"My players have trained diligently and prepared their best for their match with Vietnam. We hope we can do our best and win the best New Year result for our fans back home."

Tuesday, February 1, is the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Tiger.

The Vietnam and China clash will be held in Hanoi's My Dinh Stadium at 7 p.m. (local time), and will be reported live on VnExpress International.