Changsha, China – Chinese authorities have stepped up security for Thursday’s tense World Cup qualifier against South Korea, whose fans will receive a police escort after protests over Seoul’s decision to deploy a controversial missile defence system.

The clash between the neighbouring countries is the most anticipated of Thursday’s Asian games, which also include Australia’s trip to face Iraq and Japan’s revenge mission against United Arab Emirates.

But the match in Changsha takes place at a time of considerable bad blood with South Korea, which angered China when it agreed to deploy a US missile defence system in response to concern over the growing missile threat from North Korea.

The Chinese team’s parlous position raises the stakes still further: they are rock-bottom of Group A and staring at elimination from the Russia 2018 World Cup – despite the government’s no-expense-spared drive to turn the country into a football powerhouse.

Chinese officials have urged fans to “display rational patriotism” for the game against South Korea, who are second in the group and whose supporters have been warned to stick together for their own safety.

“Treat victory like defeat with reason. Express your emotions in a civilised and peaceful way,” the Hunan Sports Administration said.

“Don’t display insulting slogans.” The Chinese government fears the missile system, known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, could undermine its own nuclear deterrent.

Its deployment sparked a backlash against Korean retail giant Lotte, which has been forced to shut dozens of stores in China, while a survey indicated China has overtaken wartime coloniser Japan in a list of South Koreans’ most disliked countries.

‘Don’t be intimidated’

The political row is an added irritant for Chinese supporters who have watched their team struggle in the final qualifying pool, with no wins in their five games and only two goals so far.

China’s World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, hired together with his team on reported pay of $20 million euros a year, knows his 86th-ranked team’s chances of qualifying are slim.

Only the top two in the six-team group gain automatic entry to next year’s World Cup, with the third-placed side going into a play-off series, meaning defeat in Changsha would leave China in need of a miracle.

The Chinese side has only won once in 31 attempts against South Korea, and although they caused a few jitters in their 3-2 defeat in Seoul in September, they haven’t scored in their four qualifiers since.

“If you look at the group standings and head-to-head record, we have superior results against China,” said South Korea’s coach Uli Stielike, according to Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

“I asked our players not to be intimidated and keep the ball in possession.” Helong Stadium, the venue for Thursday’s match, has stepped up security ahead of the match. On Wednesday afternoon, a three-metre high fence surrounded the training pitches behind the venue, which was patrolled by groups of as many as 20 security guards.

About 180 South Korean supporters are expected at the stadium, and they have been urged to take “extra caution” to avoid causing trouble.

“South Koreans staying in or visiting China must ensure they cheer on the national team in as orderly a fashion as possible,” South Korea’s embassy in Beijing said in a safety warning to fans, Yonhap reported.

Police escort

The Korea Football Association said Chinese police would escort South Korean spectators, who had agreed to travel together and only wear their official “supporters’ uniform” inside the stadium.

“For our players, they will receive the usual protection involving police officers when they travel from the airport to the hotel and to the match venue,” said Seol Dong-Cheol, spokesman for the KFA.

South Korea will be without suspended Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-Min, while Lippi has called up Vitesse Arnhem striker Zhang Yuning.

Meanwhile in Group B, UAE-hosted Japan are looking to build on their shock 2-1 win over the four-time Asian champions in Saitama in September.

“All we’re thinking about is beating Japan again because that’s the key to qualifying for the World Cup,” said UAE midfielder and Asian player of the year Omar Abdulrahman, according to the FIFA website.

Asian title-holders Australia play Iraq in Tehran looking to climb into Group B’s top two places, currently occupied by Saudi Arabia and Japan.

Japanese striker and the world’s oldest professional football player, Kazuyoshi Miura, said on Tuesday (March 21) his dream was still to play at the World Cup.

Two weeks after celebrating his birthday on February 26, Miura, nicknamed “Kazu,” scored his first goal as a 50-year-old giving Yokohama FC a 1-0 win over Thespa Kusatsu in a J-League Division 2 on March 12, proof that he was still going strong.

“People talk about my age, but I’m happy because I scored a goal as a forward. Plus, scoring a goal is always a result of regular training – how well you train, how motivated you are – that’s more important. So a goal is simply a result of that, and whenever I see that result during a match, I’m happy,” Miura told Reuters.

However, the iconic grey-haired striker has not yet had a chance to play at the FIFA World Cup.

Although he was the one responsible for netting 12 goals that led his nation qualifying for their maiden spot at the world stage in France, 1998, he was controversially dropped for the finals by head coach Takeshi Okada.

“It is important to keep dreaming. So playing at the World Cup is still my dream,” Miura said.

Miura began his professional career at the age of 15 playing for Brazilian side Santos before going home to join Yomiuri FC (now called Tokyo Verdy) in 1990.

His rise to fame led him to becoming the first-ever Japanese footballer to play in Italy, when he joined Genoa in 1994.

He returned to Japan again in 1999 to join Vissel Kobe, and then signed for Yokohama F.C. in 2005.

He scored 55 goals and made 89 appearances for Japan prior to his international retirement in 2000.

According to FIFA, Miura became the oldest outfield player in the world earlier this month when he surpassed the age of Stanley Matthews, the first winner of the European Footballer of the Year award in 1956.

Matthews played 54 times for England between 1934 and 1957, with his club football at Stoke City and Blackpool from 1932 until his retirement in 1965.