Wu Lei in action during the game against Singapore on March 26, 2024 in Tianjin Photo: Cui Meng/GT

After a 4-1 win over Singapore in Tianjin on Tuesday night, China's national soccer team has successfully maintained its World Cup qualification hopes.

The win not only provided a much-needed boost to the team's morale, but has also bought time for head coach Branko Ivankovic to further mold the squad and make some adjustments according to his vision.

"Every win is crucial for us as it helps us cultivate a winning mentality, which benefits the players both in the national team and at the club level," Ivankovic said after the game.

As the domestic top-tier league Chinese Super League (CSL) is set to resume this weekend, the Croatian and his backroom staff will have two months to develop their knowledge of the Chinese players.

Hard-fought win

The win over Singapore on Tuesday - witnessed by a near-capacity audience of 42,977 people, a number that is rarely seen in domestic soccer matches - has China sitting second in the four-team Group C with 7 points, after Thailand was defeated by South Korea at home with a score of 3-0.

The match was a rollercoaster ride, with China initially taking the lead only for Singapore to score an equalizer shortly after. Thanks to goals from naturalized player Fei Nanduo, and star strikers Wu Lei and Wei Shihao in the second half, the Chinese national team ultimately clinched a "vital" victory.

Ma Dexing, a prominent soccer commentator, said Ivankovic should focus on "restudying" domestic soccer over the next two months.

"The match victory has granted Ivankovic at least two months to reacquaint himself with Chinese soccer and make adjustments to the tactics for the upcoming matches," Ma told the Global Times.

"Although he once led Shandong to win the CSL title, that was more than 10 years ago. From the matches against Singapore, I think he urgently needs to restudy Chinese soccer again and understand the characteristics of Chinese players."

The joy of the win was tempered by the news that key players Wu and Li Yuanyi, who was handed a red card in Tuesday's Singapore match, would miss the next match against Thailand due to suspension, adding to the challenges the team is facing.

Only the top two teams in the group will automatically qualify for the next round of Asian qualifiers, where 18 qualified teams will be divided into three groups to continue competing for the 8.5 berths for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

China will host Thailand on June 6 before visiting South Korea on June 11. The Chinese team's only victory before the Singapore game was in November 2023 when they defeated Thailand 2-1 on the away pitch.

Branko Ivankovic Photo: Xinhua

Veterans stand out

China and Singapore met on March 21 in Singapore, where China was held to a 2-2 draw, a result the national team captain Zhang Linpeng said was "unacceptable" and "disgraceful" and which propelled his now-reversed decision to retire from the national team.

"After the draw in the previous match, the pressure on the team was very high. Over the years, whenever the results weren't good, there was always a senior player who took responsibility," China's star forward Wu told reporters.

"Now, I have also become one of the senior players, I need to take responsibility and motivate the younger players to perform better," said the 32-year-old striker who used to play in Spanish La Liga's RCD Espanyol.

Veteran keeper Wang Dalei also echoed Wu's idea that the veteran players should take on more responsibilities.

"Among the older players in the team, as long as the national team needs us, we can step up at any time. When there's pressure, the senior players will definitely shoulder it," the 35-year-old said.

Wu, the top domestic scorer in the CSL last season, has totaled five goals in the World Cup Asian qualifiers, tying in second place in the top scorers' list.

"Tactically I think we are on the right track. I hope we can bring more joy to the fans in June," the Shanghai Port forward said.

Mentality matters

The national team has been playing under heavy pressure since a nationwide anti-graft campaign hit the soccer industry beginning November 2022.

On Tuesday, four high-profile soccer officials, including former Chinese Football Association (CFA) chief Chen Xuyuan and vice chief Yu Hongchen, were sentenced to prison on Tuesday for taking bribes, with their jail terms ranging from eight years to life imprisonment.

Looking ahead, China's next match against Thailand is now a must-win scenario.

With Wu and Li sidelined, the team must rely on a collective effort to secure a victory and secure their spot in the next round of qualifiers. Failure to do so could jeopardize their chances of advancing, making the upcoming match a pivotal moment in their campaign.

In light of the June match against Thailand, Ivankovic has emphasized the importance of team cohesion and a deeper understanding of Chinese players to compensate for the absence of key individuals.

"We are well aware that the goal of the next match is to win and it's unfortunate that Wu and Li will not be able to play," Ivankovic said.

"Over the next two months, we will adjust the lineup by gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese players and striving for better cohesion, using the team as a whole to compensate for the absence of individuals."

Many have pinned their hopes on winger Wei Shihao to lead China's offense in Wu's absence, as the 28-year-old scored a goal thanks to an assist from Wu in the home game against Singapore while diversifying the team's tactics.

"Perhaps through more observation and understanding, Ivankovic and his assistants can also better grasp the strategy of adopting defensive counterattacks, which is more practical in the current stage of Chinese soccer," Ma noted.