BACOLOD, the Philippines, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- China men's national football team announced the 23-man squad for the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifying game against the Philippines here on Tuesday.
The Team Dragon is now top of Group A after two landslide wins over the Maldives and Guam. Brazilian-born Ai Kesen joined La Liga side Espanyol forward Wu Lei to earn their call-ups while Wei Shihao and Yang Liyu, both are strikers, out of the final lineup.
The left wing-back Li Lei, who is in the initial 26-man lineup, was cut from the squad before Team Dragon's departure from Guangzhou on last Sunday due to the injury.
The bout will kick off at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at Panaad Stadium.
Following is the 23-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Yan Junling (Shanghai SIPG), Wang Dalei (Shandong Luneng), Zeng Cheng (Guangzhou Evergrande);
Defenders: Zhang Linpeng (Guangzhou Evergrande), Gao Zhunyi (Guangzhou Evergrande), Zheng Zheng (Shandong Luneng), Liu Yang (Shandong Luneng),Wang Gang (Beijing Guoan), Ji Xiang (Jiangsu Suning), Zhu Chenjie (Shanghai Shenhua), Li Shuai(Dalian Yifang);
Midfielders: Zheng Zhi (Guangzhou Evergrande), Hao Junmin (Shandong Luneng), Chi Zhongguo (Beijing Guoan), Zhang Xizhe (Beijing Guoan), Li Ke (Beijing Guoan), Wu Xi (Jiangsu Suning), Xie Pengfei (Jiangsu Suning), Yao Junsheng (Tianjin Tianhai), Xu Xin(Guangzhou Evergrande)
Forwards: Ai Kesen (Guangzhou Evergrande), Yang Xu (Tianjin Tianhai), Wu Lei (Espanyol).
