Cai Zhenhua, deputy director of China's General Administration of Sport, speaks at Rio's Olympic Village on media open day Tuesday. (Photo/Chinanews.com)
(ECNS) -- The Chinese women's soccer team "still has a long way to go" compared to its foreign counterparts and people should not "expect too much" on them, said Cai Zhenhua, deputy director of China's General Administration of Sport, at Rio's Olympic Village on media open day Tuesday.
But hopes remain after the woman's team advanced to the finals of the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2016 Rio Olympics, said Cai, also vice director of China's national team to the Olympics.
Before the tournament, the team was viewed as an underdog, "but the better-than-expected results have given us hope to make it to become a world top football team", Cai added.
The Chinese soccer league has made all-outs effort to improve team performance and competence in recent years. The women's national team is now flying to the Rio Olympics with the dreams of developing into a top-tier soccer power, it was added.
Specific arrangements for the Chinese women's team to compete with Brazil, including cooperation with the Brazilian Football Confederation, will be announced soon, the report said.
