China national team coach Marcello Lippi has called up seven players from league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande for his preliminary squad ahead of the country's World Cup qualifying match against Syria later this month.
The seven, including captain Zheng Zhi and a recalled Yu Hanchao, have been instrumental in Guangzhou's charge to the top of the domestic standings this season while the club have also booked their place in the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League this week.
China face Syria in the Malaysian city of Malacca on June 13 and will play the Philippines in a friendly match in Guangzhou six days earlier on June 7.
Lippi and his team retain slim hopes of qualifying for the World Cup finals in Russia next year despite sitting in fifth place in their six-team group.
The top two spots, which provide automatic qualification places, are beyond the Chinese, but Lippi's team sit seven points adrift of third, currently occupied by Uzbekistan, with three games remaining.
The third place finisher in each of Asia's two qualifying groups enter into a series of playoffs for the continent's half place at the finals and victory over Syria would keep China's hopes of a second World Cup appearance alive.
Squad: Li Lei, Zhang Xizhe (Beijing Guoan), Deng Hanwen (Beijing Renhe), Feng Xiaoting, Gao Lin, Huang Bowen, Yu Hanchao, Zeng Cheng, Zhang Linpeng, Zheng Zhi (Guangzhou Evergrande), Chen Zhizhao, Jiang Zhipeng, Xiao Zhi (Guangzhou R&F), Gao Zhunyi, Ren Hang, Yin Hongbo, Zhao Mingjian (Hebei CFFC), Wu Xi (Jiangsu Suning), Hao Junmin, Wang Dalei (Shandong Luneng), Wang Shenchao, Wu Lei, Yan Junling (Shanghai SIPG), Wang Yongpo (Tianjin Quanjian), Zhang Yuning (SBV Vitesse, NED).