China take on Australia in crucial World Cup qualifier that neither side can afford to lose
- Australia stay second in group B with top two gaining direct entry to Qatar 2022
- China can close gap on top teams if they take all three points, but defeat would end any hopes of qualifying for next year’s tournament
China and Australia face each other in a 2022 World Cup Asian zone qualifying match which neither side dare lose in Sharjah on Tuesday, and the Socceroos coach Graham Arnold is wary of the threat posed by their opponents.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced China to play its matches in the United Arab Emirates, and Arnold said that kind of adversity could often help a team.
While Australia will hope to consolidate their hold on second place in group B, Li Tie’s side have to win if they stand any chance of progressing.
“There’s a lot of problems at the moment in Chinese football,” Arnold said. “They’re having to play all their games away from home, which is not far off what’s happened with us.
“At times, that can build camaraderie and we’ve just got to make sure we get our performance right and get out on the pitch and play every game as if it’s your last game and make sure you’re mentally prepared.”
