BEIJING: China coach Branko Ivankovic paid tribute to the commitment of his players and the support of the Qingdao crowd after his team snapped a four-match losing streak with a win over Indonesia in a World Cup qualifier.
Tuesday's 2-1 win in front of a passionate red-clad crowd of 37,000 at Qingdao Youth Football Stadium revived hopes that China might be able to qualify for the World Cup finals for the second time.
Behram Abduweli put China ahead in the 21st minute and Zhang Yuning doubled the lead with a crisp finish just before the break after being put through on goal by a sublime Gao Zhunyi pass.
Ivankovic kept Wu Lei on the bench throughout the match and although Indonesia hit back through Thom Haye with four minutes remaining, China held on for their first victory in the third round of Asian qualifying.
"I want to thank the players for their dedication in this game," Croatian Ivankovic told a news conference, according to Chinese state media.
"They showed my tactical requirements, including the intensity needed to fight for ball control and the passion to win the game. They were very focused during the whole match.
"The fans created a very good atmosphere and gave us a lot of support. They are just like a 12th player on the pitch."
Despite the victory, China remain rooted to the bottom of Group C with an uphill climb ahead if they are to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The top two from the six-team group stamp their tickets to the finals with the nations in third and fourth, the most realistic prospect for China, going onto another stage of qualifying.
China's next qualifier is in Riffa on Nov. 14 against a Bahrain side who showed their quality with an away win in Australia in early September and again by holding Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw in Jeddah on Tuesday.