On the evening of September 10, a final whistle blew, and Dalian Barracuda Bay Football Stadium responded with a heavy sigh. The Chinese men's football team was reversed by the Saudi Arabian team in the second round of the round of 18 of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers, ushering in two consecutive defeats 1:2.
Leading in the opening 14 minutes, the opponent sent another person off in the 19th minute, and the Chinese team made a dreamy start, but it was still the losing side. In this game that should have been scored, the on-the-spot command of the head coach of the Chinese team, Ivankovic, could not escape the blame.
In the first half, the Chinese team's possession rate of less than 30% has already explained some problems, and the Saudi Arabian team, which has one less player, still controls the rhythm on the field, and the number of threats and passes is also better than that of the national football team. After the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw, the Chinese team only completed one passive adjustment in the second half, replacing Jiang Guangtai, who was strained in the first half, with Wang Shangyuan. Perhaps it was the stalemate in the first half that made the conservative Ivankovic lack the ambition to win, and the Chinese team's attack in the second half still seemed simple and undisciplined, and did not show the slightest numerical advantage.
In the second half of the second half, a number of Chinese players were physically unsustainable, and the scene was already relatively passive, but Ivankovic still did not make adjustments, and only replaced Xie Wenneng who could not hold on with Huang Zhengyu. The coaching staff didn't use active adjustments to send a signal about whether to hold on to a point or try their best to get three points. Until the Saudi Arabian team scored a goal in the 90th minute, the Chinese team paid a heavy price for the coaching staff's timidity and mismanagement.
One general is incompetent, and the three armies are exhausted. The Chinese team basically walked out of the shadow of the first round of defeat in this game, and also showed a good mental outlook on the field, but failed to get a point in a good situation due to the coach's improper command. In 10 games in the group stage, the Chinese team, which has lost two consecutive games, has been at the bottom, and whether it is a big defeat or a tragic reversal, it is not inevitable, and someone should stand up and take responsibility at this time.
(Source: People's Daily client)