In June 2024, the Chinese men's football team will face the host Thailand at home in China, which is a key match in the fifth round of the Asian zone of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. For the national football team, this game that is directly related to life and death is of great significance, if you win, you are expected to qualify in advance, and if you lose, you will basically be eliminated. In the event of a draw, the situation will also become very passive. Therefore, this is a tough battle that the national football team must go all out.
Looking back on the past performance of the national football team in the qualifiers of this cycle, it can be said that there are two poles. With a record of 3 wins and 1 draw in the first four rounds, it is temporarily second in the group, only 2 points away from the top Thai team. However, they suffered two defeats in a row, first losing 2-0 away to Vietnam and then losing 2-1 at home to Uzbekistan. This has greatly reduced the confidence of fans in the team.
However, the team's recent form has improved. A 3-0 home win over the Maldives in their last game broke a two-game winless streak. This made the voice of the declining national football team temporarily dormant and rekindled a glimmer of hope.
As the host, the Thai team undoubtedly has a huge advantage in local combat. They are currently at the top of the group with 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, two points higher than the national football team. In their latest game, they also beat Maldives 3-1 at home. It can be said that the Thai team is also in good form.
So, in this life-and-death battle, how can the national football team find opportunities for breakthroughs?
First of all, from the perspective of player quality and technical and tactical strength, the national football team has a certain advantage. In recent years, with the high investment operation of the Chinese Super League and the addition of naturalized players, the quality of the national football team has been greatly improved. Take naturalized players Alain and Fernando as examples, who have performed eye-catching in the Chinese Super League, contributing a lot of goals and assists. Once the two rejoin the national team, the offensive firepower will naturally be greatly enhanced.
At the same time, the other main players are also in the Chinese Super League, working and living in China, without having to travel long distances, and have sufficient physical recovery. This is essential to stay in top shape. However, the main force of Thai players mostly plays in the local league, and the quality is inevitably inferior.
From the perspective of tactical play, since the new coach of the national football team, Park Zhengxiang, has repeatedly emphasized changing the team's traditional "high-level pressing" aggressive style, and instead paying more attention to the tightness of the defense while attaching importance to midfield ball control and penetration. This kind of tactical adjustment may play a role in dealing with a team like Thailand that prefers speed to counter-attack.
In addition, if the national football team can give full play to the home advantage and create the best atmosphere in the game, it will be the best footnote for the team's morale and fighting spirit. Compared with the Thai team playing at home, the national football team does not suffer from the objective environment.
However, if the national football team wants to beat the Thai team, there are still some hard injuries to be solved. Recently, Wu Lei, a first-line scorer of the national football team, missed the game due to injury, which will be a heavy blow. Park Jung-sang will need to find new offensive initiators and finishers, and the combination of the lineup will also be a big test.
Moreover, the state of Zhang Xizhe, the core of the midfield, is also a big hidden danger. In the past, Zhang Xizhe was repeatedly "invisible" in key games and lacked the temperament of a commander, which also greatly reduced the midfield control of the national football team. If Zhang Xizhe, a key player, is unable to shoulder the heavy responsibility, it will be difficult to pry the hard nail of Thailand.
Overall, this match against Thailand is both an opportunity and a challenge for the national football team. The opportunity lies in the fact that the overall strength of home field advantage + technology and tactics is superior, and as long as you play well, you are expected to win. But the challenge is also huge, the lack of the role of the striker and the core of the midfield, and the hidden danger of passive flow counterattack in the defense, is really worrying.
Judging from the general trend of the decisive battle, I think the hope of the national football team is still there. Although the Thai team has some advantages as the host, the strength of the national football team is not inferior, as long as the injuries in the starting lineup are controlled, the tactics are properly arranged, and the best effort is played to the level it should be, it should be able to win.
Regardless of the final result, I believe the team will give it their all. After all, this will be the final battle of the World Cup qualification that the team has been fighting for for many years, and it will directly determine whether or not they can finally achieve the coveted right to qualify. For the national football team, this is a tough battle that cannot be lost, and we must do our best and spare no effort to fight and strive for the final victory!