The 2026 World Cup qualifiers Asian round of 18 are fully launched, and the second round of matches is played tonight, in Group C, the national football team that lost in the first round sits at the Dalian Barracket Bay Football Stadium to face the strong rival Saudi Arabia, Australia in the same group challenges Indonesia away, and in Group A, the Asian Cup champion Qatar challenges the mysterious division North Korea away.
China Men's Football Team 1-2 Saudi Arabia
The Chinese men's football team is ranked 87th in the world and 13th in Asia. In the first round of the round of 18, the national football team was humiliated by Japan by 7 goals, and morale fell to an all-time low.
Saudi Arabia is ranked 56th in the world and 7th in Asia, Mancini has been controversial since taking office, first stopping in the round of 16 in the Asian Cup, setting Saudi Arabia's worst record in the Asian Cup, and then in the round of 36, the Saudi team did not show the style of the top Asian team, but lost to Jordan at home in the final round, resulting in the loss of the status of the second team. In the first round of the round of 18, Saudi Arabia was forced to draw by Southeast Asian fish belly Indonesia for the first time.
In the game, in the first half, Jiang Shenglong's head scored + made the opponent kick the red card, the national football team lost the ball in the corner, Wu Lei was in the frame, Jiang Guangtai and Xie Wenneng retired injured in the second half, Wang Shangyuan scored offside, and the national football team lost the ball in the 90th minute corner kick and was killed. In the end, the Chinese men's football team was reversed 1-2 by the ten-man Saudi Arabia at home, and Ivan's substitution adjustment caused controversy, and the national football team lost two consecutive defeats in the round of 18, and the next round of the national football team will play away to Australia on October 10.
Indonesia 0-0 Australia
Indonesia is ranked 133rd in the world and is the sixth team in the round of 18, but the Indonesian team has implemented a naturalization policy in recent years, recruiting a large number of second-rate European players, and the fierce generals from the Eredivisie and Serie A have been naturalized to join the Indonesian national team, which has made the strength of the Indonesian team skyrocket, and the first round of the round of 18 snatched a point from Saudi Arabia in the first round of the round of 18, shocking Asian football.
Australia is ranked 23rd in the world and 4th in Asia, and since joining the AFC, Australia has successfully qualified for four consecutive World Preliminary Tournaments, reached the World Cup finals, and Australia reached the round of 16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. In the round of 36 of this World Preliminary Championship, Australia won all 6 games to advance, but in the first round of the round of 18, Australia lost at home to Bahrain and suffered a black start.
In the game, in the first half, Ilankunda hit the post, and the Kangaroos missed many opportunities. In the second half, Australia laid siege to no avail. Full time, Australia 0-0 Indonesia. After this game, Australia ranked 5th in the group with 1 draw and 1 loss, and Indonesia ranked 4th with 2 points and 2 points.
North Korea 2-2 Qatar
North Korea is a mysterious division of Asian football, currently ranked 110th in the world, and has participated in the World Cup finals twice in the team's history. North Korea beat Syria in the round of 36 to finish second in the group and advance to the round of 18, losing to Uzbekistan in the first round.
Qatar is ranked 35th in the world and 5th in Asia, and in the last two Asian Cups, Qatar has achieved consecutive championships, is a new first-class team in Asia, and in 2022 as the host, Qatar participated in the World Cup finals for the first time, but did not win in the group. In the Asian round of 18 of this World Preliminary Championship, Qatar lost to U.A.E. at home in the first round.
In the game, North Korea took the lead in the first half in 19 minutes, but then Jang Guozhe was sent off with a red card, Qatar took advantage of the numerical advantage by Ali to win a penalty, Afif equalized with a penalty, then Mostafa assisted Ali to overtake the score, in the second half, North Korea's Kang Guozhe equalized and stubbornly maintained the 2-2 score until the end, Qatar scored only one point in the first two rounds.