Coach Branko Ivankovic is confident before the big match with Indonesia - Photo: AFP
Ahead of the "life-or-death" match against host Indonesia on June 5 in the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia, China's head coach Branko Ivankovic made some bold statements.
The "billion-people country" team arrived in Jakarta on June 2, and had their first training session yesterday to prepare for this decisive match, along with the next confrontation with Bahrain.
These two matches will determine whether China can continue to nurture hopes of advancing to the play-off round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
According to Xinhua , coach Branko Ivankovic said the team's preparation has gone very smoothly, and the players are in the best physical condition. "I am always optimistic. Whether we meet Indonesia or any other team, we will actively aim to win," Mr. Ivankovic affirmed.
Notably, with a somewhat humorous but determined tone, coach Ivankovic surprised everyone when he announced the "10 strikers" tactic to attack the opponent's defense:
"Are we going to play with four strikers? No! We're going to play with 10 strikers. Our 10 players will be attacking. We're all going forward and we're all ready to drop back to defend."
This statement clearly shows the away team's intention to play an all-out attack in search of a goal.
The Chinese team is missing many key players in the match against Indonesia - Photo: AFP
However, coach Ivankovic's confidence did not completely dispel the concerns of the domestic media. The Chinese team traveled to Indonesia with a rather thin squad of only 25 players and without two important pillars, veteran striker Wu Lei and midfielder Liu Ruofan.
Having to promote young players from the U20 team such as Wang Yudong and Liu Chengyu to replace them shows the personnel difficulties that this team is facing.
Sports commentator Wang Dazhao believes that Wang Yudong can bring positive energy and change to the game. At the same time, expert Song Chengliang predicts that the team may use a 4-4-2 diamond formation, with Zhang Yuning and Wang Yudong playing the highest.
Strategist Ivankovic also praised Indonesia's strength with quality players playing in Europe and mentioned the home advantage of Bung Karno. Although in the first leg, China won 2-1 at home, in this return match, the Indonesian team is rated higher thanks to its strength and the enthusiasm of the audience.
With two matches remaining in the qualifying round, China and Bahrain are currently tied on points (6 points), three points behind Indonesia. To keep their hopes of advancing to the final qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup alive, China must win both upcoming matches.
A win against Indonesia will keep their hopes alive before the final match against Bahrain. A draw or defeat will almost certainly end any chance for coach Branko Ivankovic and his team.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hlv-trung-quoc-muon-da-10-tien-dao-truoc-tuyen-indonesia-20250604093647015.htm
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