Riyadh
China suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia in a 2026 World Cup qualifier on Thursday night, remaining at the bottom of Group C in the Asian zone.
The decisive moment came five minutes into the second half when Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al-Dawsari scored the only goal of the game from close range, capitalizing on a rebound after a brave save from Chinese goalkeeper Wang Da Li.
China’s task was complicated shortly before halftime when Lin Liangming received a red card for a reckless kick that struck Saudi defender Hassan Kadesh in the face. This led to a lengthy stoppage of play for Kadesh to receive treatment before he was stretchered off.
Despite dominating possession, the hosts were unable to convert many of their chances. Faisal Al-Ghamdi had a first-half goal ruled out after a VAR review confirmed a handball.
After seven matches, China remain bottom of Group C with just six points. He will face his Australian counterpart in Hangzhou, China, on Tuesday, as he seeks to turn his fortunes around.
