Associated Press
Branko Ivankovic’s Chinese programming faces another reality check World Cup Qualifying itself, the national team risking more delay in the global ambitions it promoted a decade ago.
Chinese hosts Australia In Hangzhou in Asian qualifications on Tuesday with its hopes of a direct entry to the 2026 World Cup precariously suspended on the result. A loss will put an end to these hopes, leaving China with another more tense route through a fourth Asian qualifying lap.
Ten years ago, when the Chinese Super League spent hundreds of millions of dollars on foreign players of the big name, the National Football Federation published a plan dancing a road to international power status by 2050 and one of the best Asia teams by 2030.
While the clubs faced financial problems, the foreign stars left and the league began to fight. In terms of continental force, there is still a long way to go. A 1-0 defeat against Saudi Arabia last week was the fifth of China in seven games in the third round of Asian qualification, where it is in the last place in group C.
Only the two best teams from each of the three Asian qualification groups will automatically switch to the World Cup. Japan won the first of these direct World Cup places with a 2-0 victory last week Bahrain Lifting it at 19 points, nine before second place in Australia and 10 sheltered from Saudis in third place.
Bahrain, Indonesia And China is on six points.
After this week, there are only two other days of match in June to determine the ranking.
“We have played well against Saudi Arabia, but now we have to focus on the next match,” said Ivankovic, who will be without the injured Jiang Guangtai and Gao Zhunyi And Lin liangmingsent to Riyadh. “We will assess who is in good shape, then we will all give to win.”
The 2002 edition co-organized by South Korea And Japan remains the only appearance of China in the World Cup finals. But even if she loses in Australia, everything is not lost for China because Asia now has eight guaranteed places during the World Cup tournament at 48 enlarged teams. The finish of the third and fourth place of each group This round will go to another stage to compete for two places in the tournament co-organized by CanadaThe United States and Mexico.
Australia Socceroos trusted confidence after last week’s 5-1 victory over Indonesia in Sydney.
“He focuses fully on China,” said Australia coach Tony Popovic. “They haven’t changed too much in the way they played, whether at home or outside. They are sitting in their block. They are very dangerous during the break. And we just have to be prepared.”
Patrick Kluivert is already under pressure as an Indonesian head coach after this debate in his first match in charge, and needs a victory against Bahrain in Jakarta to stay in touch.
“The positive is that we have continued and that the team’s mind will still be there,” said Kluivert, who was appointed in January. “We will react absolutely against Bahrain.”
Iran at the dawn of qualification
Iran can qualify for a seventh World Cup if it avoids a loss Uzbekistan in Tehran. Iran has 19 points in seven games, three of its opponent. Uzbekistan can secure its first place in the World Cup if it obtains a combination of results, including a victory over Iran and both United Arab Emirates And Qatar Do not beat North Korea and Kyrgyzistan in other games.
Group B calculations
South Korea was disappointed with 1-1 Oman At home last week, when a victory gave her more cushion when she pushes for a successive 11th place in the World Cup. The South Koreans out of 15 are three points away from second place Jordan Before the meeting between these Suwon teams, just south of Seoul. Iraq, third place, faces the Palestinian team from Amman and the Oman host Kuwait.
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