The Chinese national team are in the US for a friendly-cum-training tour.

SEATTLE: Baggage woes hit the Chinese national team on the first day of their United States’ tour on Monday in what could only be an ominous start to their long training-cum-friendly programme before they take on Qatar in a crucial 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier on June 2.

The 17-member team discovered that 13 pieces of baggage, including all the training balls and physio kits, were missing after they landed in this Pacific Northwest city on a domestic United Airlines flight from Sanfrancisco on Monday evening. They had earlier flown to Sanfrancisco from Beijing on a non-stop flight.

On Tuesday, coach Vladimir Petrovic was left with no option but to put his squad through light training and stretching exercises even as the Chinese Embassy scrambled to arrange training balls.

China take on Mexico today in a friendly match before continuing the camp in San Diego until April 21. Another friendly against El Salvador is scheduled for April 23.

China are currently third in Group 1 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with two points after draws in the opening two matches against Iraq (1-1) and Australia (0-0).