Chinese players react as they leave the field following their 3-1 loss to Australia in their World Cup Asian qualifying game in Adelaide, Australia on October 10, 2024. Photo: VCG

The Chinese national soccer team suffered a 3-1 away defeat to Australia during Thursday's World Cup Asian qualifiers, a result that leaves the Chinese team at the bottom of the six-team Group C. 

This was the third consecutive loss for Branko Ivankovic's squad in the third-round qualifiers after defeats in September against Japan and Saudi Arabia. 

The misfiring Chinese national team only scored two goals after three games played, in contrast to its defense record of conceding 12 goals.

"There are still seven matches remaining, and our goal remains to finish in the top four of the group, so that we can keep our hopes of qualifying for the World Cup alive," Ivankovic told the post-match news conference through an interpreter.

The national team will return to China immediately to prepare for the home match against Indonesia in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, on Tuesday. 

"The next match against Indonesia is the true beginning of the campaign, and it will require even more effort to achieve a positive result," Ivankovic said.

Winger Xie Wenneng scored the opening goal of the game for China in the 20th minute, before Lewis Miller of Australia scored an equalizer ahead of the half-time break. 

Xie was replaced by 21-year-old forward Baihelamu Abuduwaili after the half-time break, a substitution Ivankovic said was due to Xie experiencing muscle issues.

But what went worse for China was in the 53rd minute when Craig Goodwin scored a volley for Australia to make the scoreboard 2-1.  

Ivankovic had to replace starting forwards Wei Shihao and Zhang Yuning with debutants Cheng Jin and Lin Liangmin in the 68th minute, hoping to revitalize the team's offensive efforts.

But the team's offense did not work out, as Nishan Velupillay added a third goal for Australia in the extra time to end the game at 3-1.

Looking ahead, Indonesia were considered minnows by some Chinese fans. 

But as the latest 27-man Indonesian squad includes 13 naturalized players, soccer experts warn that these players could be the real threat to China's hopes of bagging points in the next match.