China's national soccer team head coach Branko Ivankovic (right) and captain Wang Dalei Photo: Cui Meng/GT

Branko Ivankovic, China's national soccer team head coach, has emphasized the importance of offense in the team's upcoming World Cup qualifier against Thailand, as China will host the visitors on Thursday in Shenyang, the capital of Northeast China's Liaoning Province.

"I heard that the tickets for this match sold out quickly. We expect 50,000 to 60,000 fans to cheer us on at the stadium," Ivankovic said. "We are eager to win this match with a great performance, as our goal is to defeat the Thai team."

The Shenyang Olympic Sports Centre Stadium has a capacity of 60,000. Tickets sold out on May 30.

At the beginning of the current round of qualifiers, the national team defeated Thailand 2-1 in an away match in November, thanks to goals from striker Wu Lei and midfielder Wang Shangyuan.

However, following a series of underachieving performances in the group, securing a victory against Thailand at home is essential for China to secure second place in the group. This would guarantee automatic qualification to the third-round Asian qualifiers, comprising 18 teams.

"Our opponent is also a strong team with its own strengths. Both teams need a win to compete for a spot in the 18-team final round of the qualifiers and to vie for a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup," he said.

"We are fully committed to our preparation and hope to achieve our goals in every aspect."

Even a draw against Thailand would complicate their chances, making the subsequent match against South Korea critical for China.

"With a draw, no one can guarantee what will happen in the final group game [next week]. So, I believe Thailand is an ambitious team with courage, and they won't play too conservatively. They will strive to play well, and we are fully prepared for this. Our goal is clear."

The Chinese national team is playing without its star player Wu Lei, as the domestic top scorer faces suspension for actions during the Thailand game. Three Brazil-born naturalized strikers A Lan (formerly known as Alan), Ai Kesen (Elkeson) and Fei Nanduo (Fernandinho) have been included in the 30-man squad.

"To win a football match, we need to score more goals than our opponent. We've called up six forwards this time. We will make the best use of our available resources," Ivankovic said. "We must stick to our playing style, and I trust our players to meet our tactical demands."

The Croatian also hinted that some young players might see their chances to make an appearance for the national team.

"I came to China just a few days before the match against Singapore [in March], and there weren't many changes to the squad then," he said.

"Since then, we've seen many players perform exceptionally well in the league. They deserve to be in the training camp, and we believe these capable players will also have the opportunity to play in the match."

Captain and keeper Wang Dalei, 35, told reporters that this could be his last chance to strive for a World Cup spot, and he hopes to lead the team to victory in this match. He dedicated the match to fans before noting the young players have experienced intense competition in the domestic Chinese Super League (CSL).

"I believe they [the young players] will adapt during these days. On the defense line, they have been defending against foreign players in the CSL," Wang said.

"These foreign players in the CSL are very strong as we know. Since the young players perform so well in their respective teams, I believe they will do just as well if they play."

Shenyang is known as a lucky place for Chinese soccer, as it witnessed the team's only qualification for the World Cup in 2002.

After the Thailand game, the team will fly to Seoul to prepare for an away match against South Korea.