Saudi Arabia secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over China in a critical 2026 FIFA World Cup AFC Qualifier on Thursday, leaving the Chinese squad facing an uphill battle to advance from Group C. A lively match in Riyadh saw Saudi midfielder Salem Al-Dawsari break the deadlock in the 50th minute, pouncing on a rebound after goalkeeper Wang Dalei parried an initial shot.
The game took a dramatic turn when China’s Lin Liangming received a red card just before halftime for a high boot to the face of Saudi defender Hassan Kadish. The injury prompted a lengthy stoppage, with Kadish stretchered off the pitch.
Saudi Arabia dominated possession but struggled to capitalize, including a disallowed first-half goal by Faisal Al Ghamdi after VAR detected a handball. China, now sixth in the group with six points from seven matches, will host Australia on Tuesday in Hangzhou in a must-win encounter.
Meanwhile, Japan secured their World Cup berth with a 2-0 victory over Bahrain, highlighting the competitive dynamics within the group.
