China capable of qualifying for World Cup finals, says striker Wu Lei

BEIJING -- China is capable of reaching the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals even though it is not among the best teams in Asia, says Chinese striker Wu Lei.

China beat Syria 3-1 in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday to complete a run of four wins from as many World Cup qualifiers under the guidance of head coach Li Tie, which has helped them enter the final Asian qualification round of 12 teams.

Those 12 teams will be drawn into two groups of six, where China could meet the likes of Japan, Australia and South Korea.

Spain-based Wu, who scored five goals in China's four most recent World Cup qualifiers, said China has the chance to beat the odds and advance to Qatar 2022.

"We cannot say China is a first-class team in Asia; there still is a gap between us and the top teams," he said.

"But it is not easy for the top teams to beat us. After joining the final 12 teams, we are also capable of winning a place at the World Cup finals," he said.

Chinese Football Association president Chen Xuyuan danced in jubilation in China's locker room after the win over Syria confirmed their progression to the next stage, and he has encouraged the Chinese side to keep their momentum for the final round of qualifying.

"This time we won four games in a row in style, and we entered the final round of 12 with our heads held high," he said.

"I hope we can go into the final round maintaining this momentum and reach Qatar with our heads held high too," he added.