May 27, 2023, Beijing Time
, the AFC has officially released an important notice to the public aimed at ensuring competitive fairness for all participating teams. The organization has decided that all group stage matches involving North Korean teams in the Top 40 tournament are deemed null and void. In addition, the results of the matches between the second- and fifth-place teams in Groups A through G will no longer be counted in the final results after all of the Round of 40 matches have been completed. Therefore, for the May 30th match between China and Guam, all China needs to do is to beat their opponents and get three points, and goal difference is no longer a key consideration. Against this backdrop, the question of whether national team manager Li Tie will need to field the strongest possible lineup for the match on the 30th has become an issue that deserves careful consideration. ! [Match Photos](https://www.ballti.com/UploadFiles/Sinaimg/202105/2021052802461569850002395.jpg)
Points rules adjusted as national soccer team seeks to win it all
Currently, China is second in Group A with 7 points from 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, with a goal difference of 11, the fewest points among the 8 groups. However, China has played one less game, and if Guam's 3-point victory is excluded, China actually only has 4 points. Seven of the goals against came from Guam, and if that win had not been counted, China would have scored only four goals. In this situation, the June 3 match against the Maldives and the June 9 match against the Philippines become especially crucial. For China to qualify as the second best-placed team in the group, they must take all six points from these two matches, thus bringing the effective points tally to 10. In the final round against Syria, who are out of the group early, China will be able to firmly grasp the initiative. If they fail to beat the Philippines at home, China's advancement situation will become passive and will have to rely on other teams in the group.
However, unlike the last World Qualifying Tournament where only the second of the four groups with the best results advanced, five of the eight second-placed teams in this tournament will make it to the final round of 12. As long as the national soccer team plays normally, overall it is not difficult to advance.
Li Tie faces dilemma in first match against Guam
According to the schedule, China will face Guam on May 30, Beijing time at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center. Previously, the Chinese team's goal is not only to win, but also strive to get more goal difference. The national football team in recent days of training, Li Tie also lined up the strongest offensive lineup. However, with the adjustment of the AFC tournament system, the match with Guam is only a warm-up role, the actual value has been greatly reduced. For Li Tie and his coaching team, they are faced with an important choice: whether to send out the strongest lineup for the warm-up, or continue to have tactical reservations, and strive to give the opponent an unexpected blow in the next game in the Philippines?
