Behram Abduweli marked his international debut with a vital late equalizer as China drew 1-1 with Thailand in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier held in Shenyang, northeast China’s Liaoning Province, on Thursday.
China entered the match second in Group C with seven points, three points ahead of Thailand, aiming to secure a place in the final stage of Asian qualifying with a victory. However, the visitors took an early lead in the 20th minute when Supachai Chaided penetrated the left flank and delivered a precise cross to Supachok Sarachat, who headed home unmarked.
The hosts nearly responded immediately, but A Lan’s low strike from distance struck the post, and Fei Nanduo’s rebound effort was saved by the Thai goalkeeper. Sensing the need for change, China’s head coach Branko Ivankovic made an early substitution in the 28th minute, introducing 21-year-old Behram Abduweli in place of Gao Tianyi.
Thailand dominated much of the first half, firing ten shots and hitting the woodwork twice, nearly extending their lead. Six minutes into the second half, China had a golden opportunity to equalize after Kritsada Kaman’s handball resulted in a penalty. However, Fei Nanduo’s spot-kick was saved, much to the frustration of the home crowd.
China persisted and finally found the breakthrough in the 79th minute. Following a free kick from Xie Pengfei, Zhu Chenjie headed the ball into the path of Behram, who volleyed it into the net, igniting celebrations in the stands.
Despite creating several chances in the closing minutes through long balls, China was unable to find the winning goal. After the match, Ivankovic expressed mixed emotions. “It was a great pity that we couldn’t win the match. My players were under great pressure, and they tried their best. As a professional coach, I need to take responsibility for everything on the pitch,” he said.
“Young players like Behram, Xie Wenneng, Wang Zhenao, and Xu Haoyang, who played their first international match, did a great job. That missed penalty kick affected our tempo a lot, and we missed several chances in the last minutes. We need to be more patient to organize our offense,” Ivankovic added.
Thailand’s coach Masatada Ishii also reflected on the result. “We had many chances but didn’t fulfill our target,” he said, hinting at the missed opportunities to secure a win.
In the other Group C match on Thursday, South Korea overwhelmed Singapore with a 7-0 victory, securing their place in the final stage of Asian qualifying as group leaders.
Looking ahead, China will visit South Korea next Tuesday in the last round of the second stage, while Thailand will face Singapore at home. China needs to secure at least one point against South Korea to advance to the final stage.
“For us, the qualifying tournament isn’t over yet. We will go all out in the next match and try to qualify for the next round,” Ivankovic stated, emphasizing the team’s determination.
Reference(s):
China rescue 1-1 draw at home to Thailand in 2026 World Cup qualifier
cgtn.com
