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A pair of spectacular strikes brightened China's Asian Cup hopes as a combined China-Hong Kong team beat FIFA World Stars 2-0 in the Reunification Cup on Sunday.
China's Zhao Xuri walloped the opener from 30 yards before Energie Cottbus midfielder Shao Jiayi went one better, rifling in a left-footed shot from 35 yards on 52 minutes. Team China included five Hong Kong players in the first half before the complete China line-up took the field. China will play Melbourne Victory here on Wednesday before their Asian Cup opener in Kuala Lumpur on July 10.
"The two goals were fantastic," said World Stars coach Gerard Houllier. "You've got to give credit to the China team. They scored two great goals and you can't do anything about that apart from just praise them and say 'that was great.'" The dominant performance, albeit against an ageing World Stars team boasting few top performers, provided a welcome boost for China after a dreadful spell which has left the axe hovering over coach Zhu Guanghu.
China, drawn in a tough Group C with Iran, Uzbekistan and Malaysia, are considered outsiders for the Asian Cup despite finishing runners-up last time around. "Every team in our group has a chance but I'm confident of getting through," said Zhu.
While they were at full strength in the second half, Gerrard Houllier's World Stars were hit by late withdrawals from George Weah and Marcelo Salas and attempts to bring Chelsea's Michael Essien also proved fruitless. Asian luminaries Hidetoshi Nakata and Ali Daei were among the best known players along with World Cup-winner Christian Karembeu, Brian McBride and Stephane Chapuisat.
Earlier, Germany striker Miroslav Klose scored on debut as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Brazilian champions Sao Paulo 2-1 in the exhibition tournament marking 10 years since Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2007

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