China head coach Branko Ivankovic stressed the need to win the two remaining qualifiers to keep the team's World Cup dreams alive, after a dispiriting 2-0 home defeat to Australia.
HANGZHOU, China, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China suffered a 2-0 home loss to Australia in a FIFA World Cup qualifier here on Tuesday, leaving its chance of securing a spot in the 2026 tournament in serious jeopardy with only two games remaining.
Sitting bottom of Group C with six points, China now has to go all out for wins over Indonesia and Bahrain in June to keep its World Cup dream alive.
"The next two matches are key," said China head coach Branko Ivankovic. "We must fight for victories."
"It's not a result we want to see. Australia performed better in the first half and scored two goals, while we were the better side in the second half.
"It's a shame we didn't convert any of our opportunities," he added.
Jackson Irvine gave the Socceroos the lead 16 minutes into the match. While his initial strike from the edge of the box was blocked, a slip from China's Huang Zhengyu's slip allowed Irvine to pounce on the loose ball and fire into the far corner.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 29th minute when Nishan Velupillay capitalized on goalkeeper Wang Dalei's error, driving a close shot through Wang's hands into the net.
"To be honest, my view was blocked at the moment and I didn't see the goal clearly," said Wang after the match.
"But that's no excuse. A mistake is a mistake," he added.
China's newly-naturalized player Sai Erjiniao came on at halftime for his China debut. His introduction boosted the host's attacking efforts but failed to produce a goal despite encouragement from a record 70,588 attendance.
"China gained momentum after the break, and it took us some time to regain control and secure the win," said Australia head coach Tony Popovic. "The first half was excellent for us and I'm pleased with the result."
With the win, Australia consolidated its grip on second place in Group C with 13 points, and the Socceroos are looking to follow in the footsteps of already-qualified Japan.
The top two teams in each six-team group will directly qualify for the World Cup, while the third- and fourth-placed teams move into the next phase of qualifying. ■
