AFC general secretary Peter Vellapan warned the two teams against any "funny business" in the November 17 tie, which China must win by a wide margin to have any hope of travelling to Germany in 2006.

"Both FIFA (International Football Federation) and the AFC will be watching the matches very carefully," the China Daily quoted Velappan as saying.

"If there is any funny business, they will face the music."

Velappan's comments come after a leading Chinese sports newspaper urged China Football Association head Yan Shiduo to lean on his counterparts in Hong Kong to throw the match.

"When the cat asks the mouse not to eat him, then this is a real football revolution," said the Oriental Sports Daily.

"What he (Yan) must do is use that thick magnetic voice of his to recite to his beloved Hong Kong compatriots the saying that 'blood is thicker than water'," the paper said.

The article was widely seen as a cynical attack on China's corruption-plagued Super League and the nationalist prestige China places on the performances of its sports teams.

Reports suggest that the unpopular Yan, who is already embroiled in a corruption-related match boycott in China's domestic league, could be sacked if China fails to make the next round in Asian qualifying for the 2006 World Cup.

China qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time in 2002, when Asian teams from Japan and South Korea won automatic berths as hosts.

After taking second place in this year's Asian Cup, China were at least expected to make the second round.

But their 1-0 defeat to Kuwait Wednesday means they must now beat Hong Kong handsomely on November 17 and hope Kuwait slip up against Group Four whipping boys Malaysia to progress.