Chinese national football team member Luo Guofu out with thigh injury

Luo Guofu training with the Chinese national soccer team in Shanghai on May 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

Chinese national football team member Luo Guofu is sidelined with a thigh injury and will need at least two weeks for recovery.

SHANGHAI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese men's national football team member Luo Guofu will need two to three weeks for recovery from his thigh injury after undergoing tests, the team announced on Saturday.

Aloisio Goncalves, whose Chinese name is Luo Guofu, joined his Guangzhou Evergrande teammate Ai Kesen and Beijing Guoan midfielder Li Ke to become the third naturalized player to wear Team Dragon's jersey this month.

Luo strained the back muscle of his right thigh in the 19th minute of a warm-up game with Shanghai SIPG on Thursday.

Luo Guofu (C) in training with the Chinese national soccer team in Shanghai on May 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

After communication between the national team and Luo's club Guangzhou Evergrande, Luo will continue to train with the national team, and stay to prepare for the warm-up game with Shanghai Shenhua on May 26.

"We have a brand-new national team with two to three excellent players in each position. Every team member works very hard, hoping to leave a good impression on the head coach and earn a place in the starting line-up," said veteran striker Yu Dabao.

China's next two World Cup qualifiers against the Maldives and Guam have been postponed to new undetermined dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

China currently sits second of five teams in AFC qualifying Group A with seven points from four games, eight points behind group leader Syria. ■