Mainland Chinese football experts have suggested China stick with their defensive and counter-attacking approach if they are to stand a chance of avoiding elimination in the next round of 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
Despite losing 1-0 to South Korea in Seoul last Tuesday, China scraped into the third round of the Asian qualifiers after Thailand failed to beat Singapore by the required three-goal margin in Bangkok later that night.
Level on every metric with Thailand after six group matches, China sneaked through on head-to-head, having secured a crucial 2-1 win in Thailand last November.
Chinese football commentator Zhan Jun said reaching the next round was “massive” for China.
“It saved our football market, and faces, too,” he said. “It also allows young players like Behram Abduweli to [experience] a ‘major’ competition.
“The third round of qualifiers is like the ‘World Cup’ for China.”
Zhan said head coach Branko Ivankovic needed to stick with the same approach, by retaining the defensive mode and counter-attacking used against South Korea.
“They must do it again,” the 51-year-old from Guangdong said. “If Alan, Fernandinho and Wu Lei are healthy by the time [the third-round qualifiers kick off in September], China’s front line is still good.
“Not to mention the Chinese Football Association is considering naturalising Congolese striker Oscar Maritu. If it could be done in time, perhaps we could snatch a top-four spot and head to the next round.”
Maritu, who plays for Chinese Super League side Cangzhou Mighty Lions, has five goals and two assists in 12 outings this season.
Having played for Cangzhou and its predecessor Shijiazhuang Ever Bright in the Super League since 2020, the 24-year-old is reportedly willing to be naturalised.
Zhan cast a vote of confidence in China’s defence before pointing to what he said was the team’s weakest link.
“With Jiang Guangtai [the Chinese name of Tyias Browning] at centre-back, we’re OK overall, except for the defensive midfield position,” he said.
“Super League teams usually want strikers, and rarely midfielders, when looking for imported players, so there is nothing much [available] even if we want to naturalise a midfielder.”
Formerly a commentator for ESPN but now with online platform Migu Video, Zhan, who has over 17 million followers on Weibo, said Ivankovic must not repeat the mistakes of his first three matches. The Croatian had deployed only one defensive midfielder in a midfield diamond.
“We can only make up for our shortcomings by using two, if not three, defensive midfielders,” Zhan said. “Just park the bus and counter-attack. With our healthy front three, it won’t be easy for a second-tier Asian team to deal with China.”
Ranked No 88 in the world, China are expected to be in pot five when the draw for the third-round qualifiers takes place in Kuala Lumpur on June 27.
The matches will be played between September and next June, with the top two teams from each of the three groups qualifying directly for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Six third and fourth-placed teams will bounce on to the fourth qualifying round. From there, two group winners will qualify, and the two runners-up will get yet another chance to qualify via two-legged intercontinental play-offs.
