Photo: Cui Meng/GT
Striker Wu Lei contributed two goals and an assist to help the Chinese national soccer team bounce back with a 4-1 win over Singapore on Tuesday in Tianjin,
MK sports Korea ending the team's winless streak since November 2023.
Fei Nanduo, previously known as Fernandinho, scored a penalty in the 65th minute during his second appearance for Team China, while Wei Shihao scored in the 90th minute thanks to Wu's assist.
The win, witnessed by a near-capacity audience of 42,977 people, has China sitting second in the four-team Group C with 7 points, after Thailand were defeated by South Korea at home 3-0. Only the top two teams in the group will automatically qualify for the next round of Asian qualifiers.
"I'm pleased that the team consistently implemented our tactics and created opportunities throughout the 90 minutes," China's head coach Branko Ivankovic said after the game.
"There were many set pieces and corner kicks during the game, all a result of the players' relentless efforts to create chances and win the game. This is how we aim to build confidence in the players, laying the psychological groundwork for future matches."
With China taking the lead at the 21st minute mark, Singapore quickly equalized the following minute and successfully held China to 1-1 until the second half.
"We emphasized sticking to our game plan and playing at our level," Ivankovic said of the adjustment he made to the team during the half-time break. "Ultimately, winning the game proves that our players are gradually maturing.
"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."
China and Singapore met on Thursday in Singapore, where China were 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.
China will host Thailand on June 6, the team they defeated 2-1 on the away pitch in November 2023.
However, China's star forward Wu Lei, who is now leading the scoring list of the qualifiers, will skip the game after collecting his second yellow card in the qualifiers in the Singapore match.
The national team has been playing under heavy pressure since a nationwide anti-graft campaign hit the soccer industry, leading former national team head coach Li Tie to be put under investigation in 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.
