Chinese journeyman reaches Club World Cup

Zhou Tong relishing role as nation's only representative at FIFA showpiece

The silence in the Auckland City locker room stretched for 24 suffocating hours after its 10-0 defeat to European giant Bayern Munich in its Club World Cup opener.

For veteran Chinese winger Zhou Tong and his semiprofessional teammates, it was not just a loss, but a profound reckoning.

"Although challenging the mighty is an honor, a 10-0 scoreline is a disgrace for any footballer," Zhou said, the weight of the result palpable, even days later. "Privately, we discussed how we could do better, how to give our all against these giants."