In a thrilling encounter at Adelaide's Hindmarsh Stadium on Thursday, China suffered a 3-1 defeat against Australia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifier, despite taking an early lead.
The Chinese team started strong, displaying aggressive plays that paid off in the 20th minute. Zhang Yuning's well-placed header found Xie Wenneng, who skillfully drove into the box to score his first goal for the national team, putting China ahead 1-0.
However, the Socceroos leveled the match just before halftime. In stoppage time, Craig Goodwin delivered a precise free kick from the left wing, allowing Lewis Miller to nod the ball into the net, bringing the score to 1-1.
Maintaining momentum, Australia seized the lead seven minutes into the second half. Goodwin once again proved instrumental, blasting a powerful shot into the left corner of China's net, leaving goalkeeper Wang Dalei with little chance to save.
As the match drew to a close, Australia cemented their victory with a third goal in stoppage time. A misclear by Chinese defender Li Yuanyi inside the box led to a scramble, which Nishan Velupillay capitalized on to secure the 3-1 win for the hosts.
This result propels Australia to second place in Group C, while China faces its third consecutive loss in the third stage, remaining at the bottom of the six-team group.
Looking ahead, China will host Indonesia in Qingdao, Shandong Province, on October 15, seeking to turn their fortunes around. Meanwhile, Australia is set to visit group leaders Japan.
In other Group C action on Thursday, Japan maintained their top spot by defeating Saudi Arabia 2-0, accumulating nine points. Bahrain and Indonesia battled to a 2-2 draw and currently hold fourth and fifth places, respectively.
The Chinese team faces a challenging path forward in the qualifiers, necessitating strategic adjustments to improve their standing in the group.
Reference(s):
China fall to Australia 3-1 in 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier
cgtn.com
