体坛英语新闻：South Africa prepares for WC warm-up against China

BERLIN, April 13 (Xinhua) -- It's time for South Africa's national footballers to show improvements, their coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said on Tuesday as the squad arrived in Germany for a training camp.

The highlight of the German camp will be a friendly against China scheduled for April 28.

The South African Press Association (SAPA) reported that a venue has yet to be determined for the match, which is South Africa's penultimate warm-up match prior to their game with Denmark at Johannesburg's World Cup stadium Soccer City on June 5.

China are ranked 84th in the world, with South Africa 88th.

Hosts South Africa will play Mexico in the opening game of the FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg on June 11.

Speaking to SAPA, Parreira said the Germany camp signaled they were getting closer to the World Cup, so we have to show some improvements as a team, we can't afford any regression, and as a result we have to improve further from our previous gains.

He said the team was "shaped and we are now competitive tactically and physically."

Parreira named a 25-man squad for the camp, which will run until April 30.

None of South Africa's foreign-based players are featured, except for Ajax youngster Daylon Claassen.

The South Africans arrived in Germany just a week after finishing a month-long training camp in Brazil, the high point of which was a 1-1 draw against World Cup qualifiers Paraguay on March 31.