The Chinese men's Olympic soccer team arrived in Shenyang, provincial city of Liaoning Province, on Wednesday for the last-gasp training before the Olympic Games.
All the 41 team members reached the Shenyang Olympic Village at 1:40 pm. The players looked a little bit tired, because they had played with the Serbian team Tuesday and took three hours afterwards to travel from Changchun to Shenyang.
However, they felt quite relaxed, and they hoped that Shenyang, a valuable land where Chinese soccer had achieved great records at 2002 World Cup qualifiers, would bring good luck to them again. After serious safety inspection, the group was checked in and then had dinner.
Shenyang Marriot Hotel is used as the Olympic Village, with totally enclosed management. From August 6 to 16, the hotel will offer accommodation and service to 12 soccer teams from 10 countries, including U.S., Germany, Nigeria, Brazil and the Netherlands. Nigeria women's national team had arrived as the first team on July 28. The Chinese men's team is the third one, and 10 minutes before its arrival, women players form DPRK had been here.
"I had long been a member in Chinese national team and had achieved great goal in Shenyang years ago. I sincerely hope that the history would take place again here," Li Weifeng said.
As scheduled, the Chinese team will play two group matches in Shenyang. The first game is to against New Zealand on August 7, and the second is to fight Belgium on August 10.
(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2008)