Source: CCTV.com

06-12-2007 10:38

Shandong Luneng are to play South Korean side Seongnam Ilhwa in their last round of A3 Champions Cup in Jinan, Shandong province. A draw will guarantee them the cup title, but previous experience says that the match will by no means be an easy one for the home team.

Shandong held a training session at their base on Monday.

They hope to lift the first Champions Cup trophy for China if they beat or draw with South Korean side Seongnam Ilhwa in the final match.

However, the first hurdle to overcome is a psychological one, since the team were defeated by the same rivals half a month ago in nearly the same situation in the group stage of the AFC Champions League.

Jiao Zhe, Shangdong Luneng player, said, "I think we cannot play under too much pressure. If we can do the preparations well, it will be quite natural whether we win the match or not."

Ljubisa Tumbakovic, Shangdong Luneng head coach, said, "Many of the Chinese teams are dealing with the same problems. They don't always play well under favorable conditions. I think the psychological problems cannot be overcome very quickly. It may need a long period of time."

Editor:Liu Fang