Left defender Sun Xiang has been ruled out of China's Asian Cup qualifier against Syria after his thigh injury recurred, said China caretaker coach Yin Tiesheng on Sunday.

The Chinese team are now training in Shanghai in preparation for the forthcoming Asian Cup qualifier against Syria, and Sun's injury would add more woes to their defence which conceded five goals over last three warm-up games.

"Sun is an excellent player and we need his service as our defence is far from solid, but he did not recover from the nagging injury, so we have to rest him," Yin said.

Sun, 26, who plays with Austria Vienna, sustained the injury in September, and he was rather upset for being unable to recover in time for the Asian Cup qualifier, where China are to play away against Syria on January 14

"What a disappointment! I had expected I would be fit enough for the Asian Cup qualifier, but as a soccer player, you never know what injury is waiting for you," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2008)