China's men's soccer team has finally made it to the World Cup's round of 18 after a grueling campaign, and a recent dramatic reversal in a group game may bring new tactical insights to the national team.
In the decisive match of Group G, Jordan challenged Saudi Arabia on the road, and in the 17th minute of the match, Saudi Arabia broke the goal first. However, Jordan was not discouraged and quickly adjusted their strategy to launch an aggressive counterattack. Despite having less than 30% of the ball in their possession, they scored twice in the 27th minute and in the 45th+2nd minute of overtime, completing a stunning comeback against Saudi Arabia and advancing to the first place in the group.
The win not only boosts Jordan's morale, but will also have an impact on the FIFA ranking points, which in turn could change the two teams' positions in the draw for the Round of 18. Saudi Arabia could be at risk of dropping from the second to the third slot, while Jordan is expected to climb from the fourth to the third slot for a more favorable opponent.
