'It's a mess!': China World Cup hopes left on knife edge

Chinese shot fans and pundits were near with a acquainted sinking feeling Friday aft a disappointing location gully with Thailand near their country’s World Cup hopes connected a weapon edge.

Victory connected Thursday successful beforehand of a sell-out 47,000 assemblage successful Shenyang would person sent China into the last qualifying circular for the 2026 World Cup.

Instead they were the inferior broadside for agelong periods and missed a penalty, earlier Zhang Yuning rescued a constituent with 11 minutes near successful a deflating 1-1 draw.

President Xi Jinping erstwhile said helium wanted China to triumph the World Cup, but they person lone reached the tourney once, erstwhile they mislaid each 3 games and failed to people a extremity successful 2002.

“There is nary blessed onshore oregon occurrence successful Chinese football,” state-run outlet The Paper said pursuing the Thailand stalemate.

Fans vented their frustrations connected societal media tract Weibo, with 1 writing: “There is nary strategy, nary coordination! It is simply a mess!”

Going into their past radical crippled connected Tuesday, China person 8 points and are 2nd down already qualified South Korea. Thailand are 3rd connected five.

The apical 2 scope the adjacent qualifying stage.

However, China look a daunting travel to Son Heung-min’s South Korea portion Thailand big basement broadside Singapore.

If China suffer against the champion squad successful the radical and Thailand triumph portion besides making up the extremity quality against the worst team, the Thais volition spell through.

“It is lone a substance of clip earlier the World Cup imagination ends,” China’s Oriental Sports Daily said connected Friday.

The country’s long-suffering fans were nary much optimistic, adjacent if their squad is inactive successful the driving spot successful 2nd spot and tin warrant progression with a gully successful Seoul.

“This is good, preparing for the 2030 World Cup successful advance,” said 1 sardonic station connected Weibo.

“Even landing connected the Moon is not a problem,” said another, referring to China’s palmy Chang’e-6 lunar probe.

“Surprisingly the World Cup is inactive a problem.”