SHANGHAI, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- China head coach Branko Ivankovic confirmed on Friday Wu Lei has been left out of the teamlist for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier due to a rib injury.
"Wu Lei will be staying in Shanghai, and after we come back from the Australia game we will see if he can recover well for the tie in Qingdao (against Indonesia)," said Ivankovic.
The Chinese team is now training in Shanghai to prepare for the away game against Australia next Thursday, five days before their encounter with Indonesia in Qingdao.
Wu, who is nursing a rib injury he picked up in a Chinese Super League game right before the Chinese team convened, said he could not train seriously now.
"The ache is still very acute. For the time being I have to receive physiotherapy and do some jogging," he said.
Another striker A Lan and defender Yang Zexiang also pulled out of the Chinese team due to leg complaints, Ivankovic said.
The Croat said he had called up Cheng Jin and Hu Hetao as replacements. ■
