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China coach Branko Ivankovic (left) and Feinandou

Chinese coach Branko Ivankovic (Croatia) expressed confidence ahead of the Korea game, saying, “It is a difficult game, but I am confident,” and “Expect a surprise.”

Korea and China will play the final match of Group C of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asia 2nd qualifying round at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on the 11th.

Unlike group leader Korea Korea, which early confirmed its advancement to the third preliminary round with 4 wins and 1 draw (13 points), China with 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss (8 points) is desperate.

If China loses to Korea in the final match and Thailand (5 points) defeats Singapore (1 point), they may fail to advance to the third round of the preliminary round depending on the goal difference. It is a scenario that one does not want to imagine in China, which had been enjoying good luck toward advancing to the World Cup as the number of participating teams was expanded to 48.

Coach Ivankovic said, “Korea is a strong team that often participates in the World Cup, and we are aware that they are classified as a strong team not only in Asia but also in the world,” and while he evaluated Korea highly, he did not back down and fought back, saying, “But we are confident.”

He said, “It is not an easy situation as key players, including top scorer Woo Ray, are out due to injuries. But we will do the best we can and pour everything out,” he said.

After taking charge of China, coach Ivankovic recorded a 2-2 draw and a 4-1 win in two consecutive games against Singapore in March, and a 1-1 draw with Thailand on the 6th, recording 1 win and 2 draws. Therefore, this is the first time he has faced a strong team like Korea since taking charge of China. He was asked by Chinese media, “Korea is a strong team compared to Thailand and Singapore, which you faced previously. What differences did you make in preparation?” He responded, “It is difficult to disclose at this stage because it is a tactical part. “I will prepare well with the players and show it at the stadium tomorrow,” he said. Meanwhile, Coach Ivankovic led the Oman national team to a 1-0 victory over Japan in the World Cup qualifiers in September 2021, causing an upset. When asked by Chinese media what lessons he learned at the time, he said, “We were able to achieve happy results by fighting as a team. “We will play with the same concept tomorrow against Korea,” he said with a smile, adding, “You can expect a surprise.” Fay Nanduo, a naturalized player from Brazil who was also at the press conference, said, “I’m not thinking about anything else and just focusing on tomorrow’s game. “I hope to prepare well to play a good game and get the results I want,” he said.


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