The Chinese national football team lost to Saudi Arabia during an away match, failing to escape the bottom of Group C in the Asian qualifying rounds for the 2026 North American World Cup, making it virtually impossible to advance directly to the World Cup finals. Chinese football fans are struggling to hide their anger.

On the 21st (Korean time) at 3:15 a.m. in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, China lost 0-1 in the seventh match of Group C of the Asian qualifying rounds against Saudi Arabia.

In the early stages, China played a relatively stable game even in the Middle East. However, the situation changed drastically when midfielder Lin Liangming received a direct red card for a "killer kung fu kick" and was sent off during stoppage time in the first half.

China barely finished the first half at 0-0, but just five minutes into the second half, they allowed a right-footed shot from Saudi forward Salem Al-Dawsari in front of the goal, conceding a goal.

With a numerical disadvantage, China struggled to seize counterattack opportunities, recording only three shots throughout the match while failing to generate any shots on target. In contrast, Saudi Arabia attempted 19 shots (with 7 on target). They did not add another goal but secured a victory at home.

As a result of this defeat, China did not escape the bottom of the group with 2 wins and 5 losses (6 points and a goal differential of -11). Though Indonesia and Bahrain, who were equal on points, both lost, China failed to rise in the rankings due to worse goal differential.

Saudi Arabia ascended to third place with 9 points (2 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses), narrowing the gap to 1 point from Australia, who holds the second position (10 points), keeping them within sight of the direct entry tickets allocated to the top two in the group.

In Group C, Japan secured a minimum of second place and confirmed their advance to the finals by accumulating 19 points from 7 matches (6 wins, 1 draw). Australia and Saudi Arabia are competing fiercely for the remaining direct entry ticket. Failing to secure second place would mean China has to aim for the finals again through the fourth qualifying round by finishing within the top four.

Chinese media outlet Sohu.com noted after the match that "China fell to the bottom of the group after losing to Saudi Arabia," expressing disappointment, stating that "before this match, China had lost to Japan 1-3, and the atmosphere had been dampened. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia was also struggling after losing 0-2 to Indonesia. Both teams desperately needed a win, but China was unable to earn points due to their numerical disadvantage and defensive collapse."

It further added, "China showed poor performance. Key defender Zhang Guangtai was sidelined due to injury, and Lin Liangming was sent off just before halftime. Possession was limited to 20%, with only 3 shots and no shots on target. If it weren't for the saves of goalkeeper Wang Dalei, the score could have been much larger. However, the number of goals conceded is no longer an important issue. The goal differential with competing countries has already widened significantly."

Consequently, China realistically acknowledged that qualifying directly for the World Cup is difficult. Sohu.com projected that "with three matches left in the (third qualifying round), it has become virtually impossible for China to rise to second in the group."

On the upcoming 25th, China will face Australia at home. Australia is expected to be highly motivated as they are fiercely competing with Saudi Arabia for second place in the group. In contrast, China will be without Wang Shanyuan due to accrued yellow cards and Lin Liangming will also be unavailable. The possibility of Zhang Guangtai's recovery from injury is slim. Australia is riding a wave of momentum after a 5-1 victory in their previous match, leading to predominant analysis indicating a low chance of victory for China.

After that, China will clash with Indonesia and Bahrain in June.

Sohu.com stated, "China's future hinges on the matches against Indonesia and Bahrain," adding, "China needs to secure at least 4 points from these two matches to keep their hopes alive. If they lose in Indonesia, China could face elimination before their final match."

Fan reactions are cold. Chinese fans sighed, saying, "Why does the Chinese national team always become fools? They seem to have an overall IQ below average." Additionally, there were voices pointing out, "It's dangerous to risk lives with Shaolin martial arts on the football field. This is all a bad habit formed in the Chinese league."

Another Chinese media outlet, NetEase, commented, "Lin Liangming nearly flew into the opponent's face. This is a very dangerous and malicious foul," adding, "Branko Ivanković, the Chinese coach, was also left incredulous by the sudden situation. He wore an extremely serious expression."

[OSEN]