SYDNEY, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The China women's national football team arrived in Sydney on Friday to begin preparations for the upcoming AFC Women's Asian Cup, which will be held in Australia from March 1 to 21.
Shortly after 10 a.m. local time, the team emerged in the international arrivals hall at Sydney Airport and was greeted by enthusiastic fans.
Cheers of "Welcome, Steel Roses!" and "Go, China!" echoed through the terminal. Some supporters presented flowers to the players and posed for photos.
A local Australian Chinese football society also presented the team with a greeting card bearing the message: "Steel Roses, rise again, defend your title, and achieve even greater success!"
Team captain Wu Haiyan said the squad had completed nearly 42 days of intensive training in Shenzhen, China, and was well prepared for the tournament.
"We were champions last time, and this time we hope to showcase the spirit and style of Chinese women's football and successfully defend our title," Wu said.
Holding a bouquet of flowers presented by fans, Wu said she was "very happy" with the warm welcome. "We are quite familiar with Australia, as we have been here many times before. We hope to achieve good results here again," she added.
Head coach Ante Milicic, who had returned earlier to his hometown of Sydney, also came to the airport to join the team. Asked about the team's goal for the tournament, he replied succinctly: "The final."
The team departed from Guangzhou on Thursday evening and arrived in Sydney after a flight of nearly 10 hours. Upon arrival, the squad was set to travel to Newcastle, about a two-hour drive north of Sydney, for a week-long training camp. They will return to Sydney on February 27 for the group-stage matches.
The Chinese Football Association on Thursday announced a 26-player squad for the tournament, including six players from clubs outside China. Twenty domestically based players arrived in Australia on Friday, while the overseas-based players will join the squad in the coming days.
The tournament will be staged across Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast. A total of 12 teams will compete in three groups. Defending champion China has been drawn in Group B alongside Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and DPR Korea, with China opening its campaign against Bangladesh on March 3.
The top two teams from each group and two best third-placed teams will qualify for the quarterfinals. The four semifinalists will secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, while the four losing quarterfinalists will compete in playoffs for the remaining two World Cup berths. ■
