Chinese Football Association vice chairman Yang Yimin says China's last group match is very crutial to Chinese soccer.

Yang made the remarks after a national squad's training session Sunday in Guangzhou, capital city of southern Guangdong Province.

China lost its leading position at Group D after its loss to Kuwait last month. It will face Hong Kong while the group leader Kuwait takes on the pointless Indonesia in their respective last group match Wednesday night. China must win more goals to enter the next stage.

Players at the national team have promised to go all out for the decisive match.

Yang Yimin, the Chinese Football Association vice chairman, points out that the result of Wednesday's match will have a long term effect on Chinese soccer.

If China fails to make it to next year's World Cup final, Mecca of world soccer, not only the domestic Super League, but the whole industry will be effected as well.

Yang Yimin, promised to deepen reforms in this sector. In addition, the vice chairman expressed his dissatisfaction on rookie-nurturing and criticized clubs not paying enough attention and money to fostering children footballers. He calls on investors to pay more attention to this issue for the sake of the long-term development of Chinese soccer.

(CRI November 15, 2004)