China has called up Shenzhen FC right back Xu Haofeng as a replacement for injured Jiang Guangtai, who could probably miss the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier against Thailand.

Xu Haofeng (L) of China defends against Miyaichi Ryo of Japan during a 2022 EAFF (East Asian Football Federation) E-1 Football Championship match at Toyota Stadium in Toyota City in Aichi prefecture, Japan, July 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

The Chinese side announced the decision on Thursday when the players gathered in Shenzhen to prepare for the Thailand match.

Xu, 24, played 24 matches and scored one goal for Shenzhen FC in the just-concluded Chinese Super League season, despite his club finishing at the bottom of the 16-team standings and being relegated to the second tier.

According to a Chinese media report, Jiang has withdrawn from the Chinese team due to a left knee injury that left him out of Shanghai Port's last Chinese Super League game against Dalian Pro earlier this month.

China will visit Thailand next Thursday before hosting South Korea five days later.

In the upcoming FIFA World Cup Asian Zone qualifying tournament, 36 teams have been divided into nine groups, and the group winners and runners-up can advance to the next phase of the qualification.

China has been drawn into Group C alongside South Korea, Thailand and Singapore.

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