
(foto: Getty Images)
The Chinese national team suffered a devastating defeat in the World Cup qualifiers, losing to Japan in a catastrophic fashion.
Japan and China are worlds apart in football, but Chinese fans still expect their team to perform with dignity, especially against a rival that is not only one of their main football competitors but also a key political opponent.
In Saitama, during a World Cup qualifier, Japan handed China a humiliating 7-0 defeat. This marks China's worst loss in qualifiers and their most crushing defeat since 2012, when they lost 8-0 to Brazil.
The shame falls squarely on the shoulders of former Dinamo Zagreb coach Branko Ivanković, who recently took over the Chinese national team from Serbian coach Aleksandar Janković.
"Japan is not just one of the best teams in Asia; they are a world-class team. Before the match, we focused a lot on defense, but we clearly conceded too many goals. It was a tough match, and as a coach, this was one of the hardest nights of my career," said Ivanković.
Former Chinese national team captain Fan Zhiyi expressed his shame after the match, saying he felt like throwing himself into a river.
"If it weren't so far, I’d throw myself into the Huangpu River. We can accept losing to Japan, but we shouldn’t concede such cheap goals," said Zhiyi.
For Japan, Takumi Minamino scored twice, while Wataru Endo, Kaoru Mitoma, Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda, and Takefusa Kubo each added a goal.