In a tense World Cup qualifying match on Thursday, Saudi Arabia secured a 1-0 victory over a ten-man China in Riyadh, keeping their hopes alive for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The game’s decisive moment came early in the second half when Saudi midfielder Salem Al-Dawsari capitalized on a rebound. Chinese goalkeeper Wang Dalei made an initial save, but Al-Dawsari pounced on the loose ball to put the hosts ahead in the 50th minute.
China faced an uphill battle after Lin Liangming received a red card just before halftime. Lin was dismissed following a challenge that resulted in contact with Hassan Kadish’s face. The incident led to a lengthy pause as Kadish received medical attention before being stretchered off the field.
Despite being down to ten men, China showed resilience but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities. Saudi Arabia dominated possession and had additional chances, including a first-half goal by Faisal Al Ghamdi that was disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) due to a handball in the buildup.
China remains at the bottom of Group C with six points from seven games. They will look to turn their fortunes around when they host Australia in Hangzhou on Tuesday.
In the same group, Japan secured their spot in the World Cup after defeating Bahrain 2-0 at home, sealing their qualification for next year’s main draw.
