Oct 16,V7N- China's coach Branko Ivankovic praised his players' commitment and the energetic support of the Qingdao crowd after their 2-1 victory over Indonesia in a World Cup qualifier, ending a four-match losing streak. The win, which took place in front of a passionate crowd of 37,000 at Qingdao Youth Football Stadium, renewed China's hopes of qualifying for their second-ever World Cup.

Behram Abduweli opened the scoring for China in the 21st minute, with Zhang Yuning adding a second just before halftime, courtesy of a well-timed pass from Gao Zhunyi. Despite a late goal from Indonesia's Thom Haye, China held on to secure their first victory in the third round of Asian qualifying.

Ivankovic, who notably kept star player Wu Lei on the bench, commended his team's intensity and focus, stating, "The players showed my tactical requirements... They were very focused during the whole match." He also acknowledged the significant role of the home crowd, likening their energy to having a "12th player on the pitch."

Despite the morale-boosting win, China still sits at the bottom of Group C. The path to the 2026 World Cup remains challenging, with the top two teams in the group automatically qualifying. China's best chance may lie in finishing third or fourth, which would lead to further rounds of qualifying. Their next match is a tough away fixture against Bahrain on November 14, with Bahrain having previously shown their strength by beating Australia and holding Saudi Arabia to a draw.

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