China emerged victorious with a 3-1 win over Kuwait in an international friendly match held behind closed doors in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday. The highlight of the game was the debut of China’s latest naturalized player, Sai Erjiniao (Serginho), who celebrated his 30th birthday by making his first appearance for the national team.
The Chinese team dominated the first half, scoring all three of their goals before the break. Li Lei opened the scoring, putting China ahead early. Kuwait then conceded an own goal, doubling China’s lead. Just before halftime, Behram Abduweli added a third goal, further extending the advantage.
In the second half, both teams made several substitutions. It was then that Sai Erjiniao (Serginho), who previously held dual citizenship with Italy and his native Brazil, stepped onto the pitch to mark his debut for his new country. Another newcomer, Wang Yudong, also made his first appearance for China during the latter stages of the match.
Sai Erjiniao (Serginho) is in his first season with Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan, after spending five years with Changchun Yatai. Earlier this week, he shared a photo of himself holding a Chinese identification card on social media platform Sina Weibo, signaling his commitment to his new homeland.
Kuwait managed to find the net late in the second half, avoiding a shutout with a consolation goal.
The Chinese squad will now travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to prepare for their 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualification game against Saudi Arabia on Thursday, March 20. Following that, they will host Australia in Hangzhou on Tuesday, March 25.
China currently sits at the bottom of Group C in the qualifying competition with six points, trailing Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia on goal difference. The top two teams will secure automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, while the third and fourth-placed teams will continue to compete in the next round.
