China desperate to bounce back in World Cup qualifiers

BEIJING – China’s hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup are hanging by a thread after three consecutive qualifying defeats, but the Oct 15 clash against Indonesia on home turf provides Branko Ivankovic’s side with another opportunity to right the ship.

The Chinese opened their qualifying campaign with a fiasco, being humbled 7-0 by Japan.

They then lost 2-1 to 10-man Saudi Arabia despite going ahead, and then fumbled another 1-0 lead to suffer a 3-1 defeat in Australia on Oct 10. This poor streak leaves China rock bottom of Group C with zero points and a goal difference of minus 10.

The top two teams in each group will directly qualify for the World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams move into a further round of qualifying.

Ivankovic hammered home that China are aiming for a top-four finish, while also noting that the Indonesia game is “just the beginning of a real battle”.

As it stands, finishing in the top two in the group may prove a daunting task for China, but progressing into the fourth round of qualifying is a tangible target.

But they cannot afford to make any mistakes against Indonesia.

Eyebrows may be raised at Ivankovic’s statement, with so many problems exposed in China’s first three matches – weakness at defending set pieces, physical issues in the games’ closing stages, and failure to string together a consistent run of play.

Nevertheless, the coach and players have expressed their ambitions, and to most fans, anything other than a home victory would be deemed a failure.

With China looking for a resounding response, Indonesia also expect to take home the three points. The often underperforming South-east Asian team had long been a walkover for China, but now things are different.

The Indonesians, coached by South Korean Shin Tae-yong, are a much-improved side compared to their previous outings.

With the help of more than 10 naturalised players, most of whom play in European leagues, they have become an emerging side who cannot be ignored, as evidenced by strong performances in their opening matches, with draws against Saudi Arabia, Australia and Bahrain.

While leaders Japan are running away with nine points from nine, the remaining five teams in the group are only separated by four points, so a victory could drastically change the situation.

Ivankovic is aware of what is at stake, coming under mounting pressure for his tactics, substitutions, and even for some comments at press conferences.

Although the Chinese Football Association has declared their faith in the coach, the 70-year-old Croat still needs a morale-boosting win to restore his reputation.
XINHUA