Guangzhou Evergrande head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari had recently advised China men's national football team manager Gao Hongbo to stand up for his own decisions on and off the pitch as the squad prepares to continue their quest for a spot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Team Dragon will be facing South Korea at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on September 1 to open Group A competitions in the third round of the AFC World Cup qualifying tournament.

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Gao's men will need to finish in the top two spots of the six-team group, which is composed of powerhouse teams Qatar, Iran, and Uzbekistan, to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

"No matter what people are telling you, do what you think is correct," said Scolari, via ESPN. "Because if you lose, the ones who have given you advice won't be the ones who will have to pay."

Scolari's Brazilian team, who went on to win the 2002 World Cup, crushed China, 4-0, in the group stage of the said competitions.

Meanwhile, the 67-year-old World Cup-winning manager had also recently expressed his disappointment to the China top flight referees after the Southern China Tigers were held to a goalless draw by capital city team Beijing Guoan on Tuesday at their home field of Tianhe Stadium.

"Today the winner of this game is not the team who targeted a win," the Brazilian boss said after the match. "The referee also had his favorites. If this is how football has developed globally then it goes against my whole concept of the game."

Evergrande remained at the top of the league standings, 11 points clear of second-running team Jiangsu Suning, despite the draw with only nine games left in their current campaign, which prompted Scolari to remark that he is still happy with his squad's performance.

Colombian striker Jackson Martinez is also back in Guangzhou's lineup, but he came off the bench at the 72nd minute to replace Brazilian midfielder Alan.

Rumors had been out that Martinez is currently seeking to return to Europe and play for Premier League side Liverpool.

The 29-year-old goalscorer is said to be "keen to quit the Chinese Super League" as Reds head coach Jürgen Klopp is speculated to be eyeing him this summer, as per 90min.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League news, Chinese Super League rumors, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC, Gao Hongbo