On October 10, the third round of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup saw the Chinese men’s national football team face off against Australia in Adelaide. Despite initially taking the lead with a goal in the first half, the team ultimately lost the match 1-3, marking their third consecutive defeat in the tournament.
Since the start of the 18-team qualifier, the Chinese team has struggled significantly. They suffered a crushing 0-7 defeat against Japan in their opener, followed by a 1-2 loss at home to Saudi Arabia, which dropped their world ranking to 91st. In the latest match against Australia, the team was also affected by injuries, with key players Wu Lei, Alan, Zhu Chenjie, and Yang Zexiang unable to participate.
Australia, known for their sturdy presence in the World Cup, fields several players who compete in European leagues. However, their recent form has been poor, having lost to Bahrain and drawn with Indonesia in the initial rounds, leaving them second to last in their group. Coach Popović has made substantial changes to the team’s lineup since taking over.
In this match, Chinese head coach Ivanković set up a 4-4-2 formation. Wang Dalei started in goal, with a defense comprising Li Lei, Jiang Shenglong, Jiang Guangtai, and Hu Hetao. In midfield, Li Yuan and Wang Shangyuan paired as defensive midfielders, while Wei Shihao and Xie Wenfeng occupied the flanks, with Zhang Yuning and Fernando leading the attack.
As the game commenced, the home side Australia quickly asserted their dominance, but it was China that opened the scoring. In the 20th minute, Zhang Yuning assisted with a header, allowing Xie Wenfeng to slot the ball into the net, putting China ahead 1-0. Australia responded with relentless pressure, and during first-half stoppage time, Miller equalized with a header from a set piece in the 47th minute.
In the second half, Australia maintained their attacking momentum, and in the 53rd minute, Goodwin scored a spectacular goal to give his team the lead. Despite several substitutions from the Chinese side in an attempt to change the game’s course, they struggled to regain control. In the 92nd minute, substitute Velupile found the net for Australia, sealing their 3-1 victory.
Post-match, player Wang Shangyuan acknowledged the physical strength of the Australian team. “Playing against Australia is indeed quite challenging. We put in a lot of effort but ended up losing. Today’s performance was the best among the first three matches, and I hope we can earn points in the next game,” he reflected.
After three rounds, China remains at the bottom of the group with zero points. According to the schedule, the team will host Indonesia in Qingdao on October 15.
