Ivankovic calls for courage and passion as China faces Indonesia in World Cup qualifier

QINGDAO -- The head coach of the Chinese national men's football team, Branko Ivankovic, stated that his team will play with courage and passion as they seek victory against Indonesia in Tuesday's World Cup qualifying match.

After suffering three consecutive defeats, China will face Indonesia at the 50,000-seat Qingdao Youth Football Stadium in the third round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"We have to play with courage and enthusiasm at home and do whatever it takes to win," Ivankovic told a pre-match press conference on Monday afternoon.

"Seeing so many fans at the hotel and training ground greeting us, especially the young people among them, we can feel their love for football and the national team. I hope the players feel this support and take responsibility by giving the fans a good match."

China's qualifying campaign has been disastrous so far, beginning with a 7-0 defeat against Japan, followed by a 2-1 loss to a 10-man Saudi Arabia, and then a 3-1 loss to Australia last Thursday after squandering a 1-0 lead. This losing streak leaves China at the bottom of Group C with zero points.

Eighteen teams are divided into three groups in the third round of AFC qualifiers. The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams will advance to an additional round of qualifying.

Despite being the lowest-ranked team in the group, Indonesia remains unbeaten, securing three consecutive draws to collect three points. Their squad features over ten naturalized players, most of whom hail from the Netherlands and play in European leagues.

"Many of our opponents are naturalized players from Europe, particularly from the Netherlands," Ivankovic told Xinhua. "We've analyzed their style and introduced that information to our players. We conducted targeted training, and I want our players to give their all, play aggressively, increase the intensity, and deliver effective football throughout the 90 minutes."

The 70-year-old Croatian also noted that the Chinese team is grappling with several injuries. Striker Fei Nanduo is sidelined with a leg issue, while defender Gao Zhunyi is doubtful for the match after injuring his foot in training. Wu Lei, the top scorer for both the national team and the Chinese Super League (CSL) this season, has just returned to the squad after missing the last match against Australia due to injury.

Indonesia head coach Shin Tae-yong said that despite China's winless run, he views the match as a "50-50" contest.

"China has played against some of the top teams in Asia, which may explain their struggles. They're using a four-defender system," said the South Korean coach. "There isn't any team we can underestimate. We need to be at our best. I hope we can put in a strong performance tomorrow."