China concluded their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign on Tuesday night with a win but missed out on a playoff berth as other results in the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) group did not go their way.
In order to keep their dim World Cup finals hopes alive, China had needed a win in their game away to Qatar, as well as hoping that both Syria and Uzbekistan would lose their matches. Besides, China also had to make up a minimum four goals in goal difference on Syria to secure a third-place finish in the group, which means a playoff berth. Some fans even calculated that the team's probability of achieving this feat was a mere 0.04 percent.
Dramatic night
They dominated the match early on in Doha and squandered several chances, but it was the Qataris who took the lead shortly after halftime. As the desperate Chinese pushed men forward in pursuit of an equalizer, the Qataris nearly doubled their lead in the counterattack but were denied by the heroics of China keeper Zeng Cheng. China's efforts finally paid dividends in the 74th minute as striker Xiao Zhi powered home a Jiang Zhipeng cross from close range and gave the team a glimmer of hope.
That appeared to end after just six minutes as China captain Zheng Zhi was sent off when he fouled Akrim Afif on a Qatar counterattack. But the red card stifled a golden chance for the Qataris to retake the lead and two minutes later, substitute Wu Lei scored to give China a hard-fought win.
But it proved futile as both Syria and Uzbekistan drew their games and finished above China in Group A, which means China had to settle for a fifth-place finish. Syria and Uzbekistan both finished with 13 points, while China had 12.
Coach Marcello Lippi, who took over after China gained just one point in the first four games in the current qualifying round, rued the fact that they failed to make it to Russia next year.
"At the time I took the reins, the team had just earned one point after four matches," the Italian told the post-match press conference. "Under my guidance, we claimed 11 points in six. And we're just one point behind Syria and Uzbekistan."
The lost four points
Lippi singled out two games that he said China should have won. In their home game against Qatar in November, Chinese players hit the woodwork three times but had to settle for a goalless draw. And in their away game with Syria, which was played in Malacca in Malaysia in June, the Syrians equalized in stoppage time when China were leading 2-1.
"We lost four points in these two matches," a regretful Lippi said. "We would have finished runners-up in the group and qualified for Russia 2018."
Having just made it to the World Cup once in 2002, when they lost all three group games without scoring a goal, Chinese soccer has been a source of misery and bitter memories for fans. But this time, most media and fans are speaking highly of the team's performance and are confident about future achievements.
'Successful failure'
Sports commentator Yan Qiang called it a "successful failure" as he saw the improvement Lippi has brought to the team.
"Lippi is not a god; he cannot bring the team to a totally different level," Yan wrote on his WeChat public account.
"But under his guidance, the Chinese players didn't feel jittery and never gave up even while playing against the tide.
"The Chinese players may not be talented, but they did not give up."
Zhan Jun, a famous soccer commentator, wrote on Sina Weibo, "The points table never lies. China are still not good enough. But their efforts are already impressive for keeping their hopes alive until the final game, having gained only one point in the first four games."
"Everyone wants to play in the World Cup," a fan wrote on Dongqiudi, a popular soccer website.
"It's unfair to blame the players. They have tried their best. It's no shame to miss out on the World Cup. Even the Netherlands are still struggling for a playoff berth!"
Another fan wrote on Sina Weibo: "The improvement is obvious. I'm confident we could do better next time."
As for veteran Zheng's red card, many fans said it might be the 37-year-old's final contribution to the team.
"Qatar might have retaken the lead if it had not been for Zheng Zhi's timely foul," a fan wrote on Sina Weibo. "With just 10 minutes left, it would really be mission impossible for China to score two more goals."
Zheng first played for China's senior squad in 2002, and has been capped 98 times in the last 15 years.
When asked by reporters whether this might be his last appearance for China, Zheng replied, "I have never thought about that. I just focused on the game."
Speaking of the foul, Zheng said, "It was just a normal tactical foul. As the last defending player, I had to stop him, otherwise he would be one-on-one with our keeper. Every professional player would have done the same."
Playoffs
Syria, who are level on 13 points with Uzbekistan, finished third in the group on goal difference. They will face Australia, who finished third in the other AFC qualifying group, home-and-away over two legs in an AFC playoff. The -winners of the series will take on the fourth-placed team of the CONCACAF qualifying group in an intercontinental playoff, with the winners of this playoff gaining a spot at next year's World Cup in Russia.
South Korea sealed their World Cup ticket on Tuesday night after finishing runners-up of Group A with a 0-0 draw away to Uzbekistan. Group winners Iran qualified for the finals nearly three months ago.
In Group B, Saudi Arabia gained an automatic spot after a 1-0 home win over already qualified Japan, who had won the group heading to the final game. Australia had to settle for third on goal difference.
