Sports

China is on the verge of a shocking Asian Cup exit, while Tajikistan is making history

By - 24 Jan 2024 05:11 PM

Let the accusations start now. China did not find the back of the net in any of their three group stage Asian Cup matches for the first time ever. Aleksandar Jankovic's side have no one else to hold accountable but themselves for their 1-0 defeat to Qatar, who had already secured their spot in the last 16 as group winners and named a second-string team on Monday night.

China is currently dealing with the fallout from yet another extremely depressing campaign as a result of this most recent setback. After China's better performance in last week's draw with Lebanon, there was a moment of optimism that was quickly dashed by reflection.Jankovic and his crestfallen players now face the harsh reality of a potential humiliating early exit, a scenario that they could never have imagined, even in their darkest nightmares. The weight of disappointment was palpable as Wei Shihao and Wu Lei stood before the media, bearing the burden of their team's underwhelming performance.

Wei in particular appeared to be in complete shock, his feelings almost overflowing. We had scoring opportunities, which is very disappointing that we did not take advantage of. All of the teams have improved, but we appear to be in the same spot. It's quite depressing. Although the fans made a great effort to come see us play, we really didn't perform well."

Wu added, "We clearly need to reevaluate our attacking strategies after not scoring a single goal in three games. We also need to work on our coordination, tactics, and general technique. Asia's teams are getting closer to one another, and even the so-called weaker teams have improved greatly in a number of areas. We have to talk about this subject.Beyond the intense spotlight, it is difficult to avoid the feeling that many Chinese players would prefer to go home than face the uncertainty of waiting in Qatar to find out their fate. Jankovic now has to cling to the slim chance that China's two points will be enough to guarantee a spot in the round of sixteen as one of the top four third-place teams.

According to the rules, in the event of teams finishing level on points within their groups, the first tiebreaker will be their head-to-head record, followed by goal difference, goals scored, fair play points, and, as a last resort, the drawing of lots. These same criteria will be used to rank the six third-placed finishers from all

Hence, the only possible path for China to advance to the knockout stages is if two conditions are simultaneously met: first, India must draw 0-0 with Syria in their final group match, and a Syrian player must receive at least one yellow card; second, Hong Kong, China need to secure a draw against Palestine.

"You have to accept this fate as a coach. If you constantly dwell on this issue, it will impede your progress. Fear of losing your job is not a quality that befits a coach. All I can do is give it my all and strive for better performances from the team in the future."