China will be bidding to bounce back from their 7-0 defeat to Japan last time out when they continue their World Cup 2026 qualification campaign against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Branko Ivankovic's side are bottom of Group C in the third round, while Saudi Arabia opened their section with a 1-1 draw against Indonesia, so both teams are looking for their first victories in the third round.
Match preview
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China never got going against Japan last time out, but the score was only 2-0 at the interval, with the hosts then finding the back of the net five times in the second half to make it a 7-0 match.
There is pressure on Ivankovic's team to bounce back in their second match in Group C, and they are bidding to compete in the finals of a World Cup for just the second time.
China were present in the 2002 competition, being eliminated in the group stage, but they have not been able to qualify since, winning only seven of their 18 matches in their attempt to secure a spot in Qatar two years ago.
The Dragon Team were also beaten 1-0 by South Korea on June 11 but managed to advance from the second round of qualifying courtesy of their second-placed finish in Group C.
China have won seven, lost seven and drawn six of their previous 20 matches against Saudi Arabia, while the two teams played out a 1-1 draw when they last locked horns in a World Cup qualifier in March 2022.
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Saudi Arabia have lost just one of their last eight matches against China in all competitions, including a 3-2 success during qualification for the 2022 World Cup.
The Green Falcons would have been expecting to open their Group C campaign with a win over Indonesia, but they found it tough on Thursday and had to come from behind to secure a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
Saudi Arabia, who are now managed by Roberto Mancini, have been present in the last two World Cups, being eliminated in the group stage on both occasions.
The national side reached the last-16 stage of the competition back in 1994, but they have not managed to make it out of the groups since, so it would be some achievement if Mancini could secure qualification and then lead a charge into the knockout round of the 2026 tournament.
Team News
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China head coach Ivankovic will not panic after the Japan clash despite the incredible defeat, as there were positives to take in the first half of the contest.
Wu Lei is comfortably the leading goalscorer in the squad with 36, and he will again feature in the final third of the field, with the 32-year-old preparing to make his 98th appearance for his country.
Zhang Yuning should also retain his spot, while the captain Wang Dalei will continue between the sticks.
As for Saudi Arabia, Nasser Al-Dawsari will again feature in an advanced area, with the 25-year-old set to continue his search for his first international goal.
There are not expected to be any real surprises when it comes to the away side's XI for this match, with Abdullah Radif also in line for a spot in the final third of the field.
Musab Al-Juwayr is a relative newcomer to the squad, but the 21-year-old has scored three times in six appearances for his country, and he will again be in the XI for this match.
China possible starting lineup:
Wang Dalei; Yang Zexiang, Jiang Guangtai, Zhu Chenjie, Liu Yang; Xie Wenneng, Li Yuanyi, Jiang Shenglong, Xu Haoyang; Wu Lei, Zhang Yuning
Saudi Arabia possible starting lineup:
Al Owais; Tambakti, Lajami, Al Bulayhi; Al Ghannam, Al Khalbari, Al-Juwayr, Al Harbi; Kanno, Radif, Al Dawsari
We say: China 0-1 Saudi Arabia
This is a tough match to call, as there should be a strong response from China after what happened last time out. Saudi Arabia were also disappointing in their last match, but we are expecting Mancini's side to navigate their way to an important three points on Tuesday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
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