China vs Australia

The stakes are high for China and Australia as they lock horns in a ‘make or break’ 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre.

China’s quest to secure a playoff berth remains alive despite a 1-0 defeat at Saudi Arabia last week as they sit level on points with fourth-placed Indonesia pre-round. However, locking down the World Cup finals qualification for the first time since 2002 remains a distant dream after losing five of their first seven Group C fixtures (W2), including the last two in a row. Furthermore, Branko Ivankovic’s men have lost two of their three home qualifiers in the current cycle (W1), with each game (won/lost) featuring over 2.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet, highlighting the potential for a goal-glutted contest. Adding to this sentiment, three of China’s last five meetings with Australia have produced 3+ goals.

Australia benefited from an emphatic scoreline in the reverse fixture, beating the Chinese 3-1 on home soil before hitting a rough patch. Indeed, the Socceroos had since drawn three consecutive World Cup qualifiers before a 5-1 thrashing of Indonesia last week. Those goals account for nearly 50% of Australia’s Group C total (11). Indeed, they’ve been wasteful on the road, drawing all three World Cup qualifiers while netting an average of one goal per game. Visiting fans may need to be patient, considering two of those three goals arrived beyond the 55th minute, except for a stunning first-minute opener in a 2-2 draw at Bahrain last time out.