Group C of the third round of Asia’s World Cup qualification looked tricky when it was made – but for Australia, tricky is turning tough. One point from games against Bahrain and Indonesia was not part of the script, which became more dramatic with the subsequent resignation of Graham Arnold and the appointment of Tony Popovic. His first game is against China in Adelaide on Thursday – a must-win given the disastrous start and a trip to group leaders Japan five days later.
On the plus side, Popovic knows how to get results in Asia, as he demonstrated during Western Sydney Wanderers’ run to Asian Champions League glory in 2014. Perhaps the best result that season was the semi-final victory over Chinese powerhouse and title-holders Guangzhou Evergrande, back when Chinese football was making waves around the world.
Now, though, the old “China crisis” cliches are back. The injury-hit national team arrive in South Australia with confidence as low as their sixth place position in the six-team group. After being on the end of a 7-0 thrashing by Japan and then a home defeat to Saudi Arabia, the Reds are still looking for a first point and some pride. Since the World Cup was expanded and Asia got eight places, the likes of China can make it to the tournament in north America. A third straight defeat in three third-round games, however, would not only put their theoretical hopes of a top-two finish and automatic qualification officially off the menu, but also call into question finishing third or fourth.
Expectations are not high. “We are not going to make the World Cup,” said one Chinese FA official. “This qualification round is our World Cup.” Such sentiments are understandable even without September’s stinging defeats. Team Dragon only made it this far due to the heroics of Hassan Sunny. The Singapore goalkeeper made a number of fine saves, 11 in total, against Thailand in the final game of the second round to prevent the Thais from finishing above China . When he is not stopping shots, the 40 year-old is boiling pots of noodles in a restaurant that was suddenly receiving great reviews from fans in China and visits from tourists.
A similar hero may be needed this time around. Fans are still waiting for China coach Branko Ivanković to make a difference. The Croatian, appointed in February, led Oman in qualification for 2022 when they finished just a point behind Australia, with the highlight being a win in Japan. He also defeated the Samurai Blue as boss of Iran in qualification for the 2006 World Cup. Did he, wondered the usually gloomy Chinese media as the third round started, have Japan’s number?
No. The disaster in Saitama was China’s second heaviest loss of all time and, coming against their bitter rival, their most humiliating. The Reds just could not cope with Japan’s movement and passing. The 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in Dalian was just as painful. An own goal gave China a 14th minute lead and the roars grew louder five minutes later as Mohamed Kanno was shown red. A goal up and a man up with most of the game remaining, 50,000 fans settled back to enjoy a much-needed victory. Yet, somehow, Hassan Kadesh, a player who had never scored before, found the back of the net twice – the second in the last minute – to give the Saudis a crucial win.
At the end, fans in the stadium and on social media called for Ivanković’s head, blaming him for poor marking at corners, ineffectual and late substitutions, and an inability to make the extra man count. It was only when he was seen watching domestic games recently that it became clear he was still in the job. Defeat in Adelaide won’t result in the axe falling but that may change if it is followed by a failure to beat Indonesia on home soil next week on home soil.
If Ivanković could be near the end, then, as he starts out Popovic will have taken great heart from the fact that both Saudi Arabian goals came from set pieces. With the visitors set to sit back in Adelaide, the recent lack of defensive organisation could be key. Up front, there has been just one own goal in two games and there’s worse news: star attacker Wu Lei, who has played in La Liga with Espanyol and is, by some distance, the top scorer of the Chinese Super League and a talisman for Kevin Muscat at Shanghai Port, is injured. So too is fellow forward Brazil-born Alan Carvalho and midfielder Yang Zexiang.
They will remain in China to recover and face Indonesia in what really is a must-win game. Anything in Australia is a bonus and, if there is any hope for the visitors, it may lie in that there are no expectations and no pressure. It is the Socceroos who have to win.
