The Chinese soccer team returned to the battlefield to face its rival Saudi Arabia in the second round of the third Asian Group C match. In the first round of the tournament, the Chinese team accidentally swallowed the "seven eggs" sent by the Japanese team, which triggered an uproar in the domestic public opinion. With the storm coming, the matchup with the West Asian powerhouse Saudi Arabia seems to be in doubt. It is worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia has won twice in its three previous visits, and its competitive state is evident, which makes it the favorite to win this tournament.
Looking back at China's thrilling advancement in the second round, there are already signs that they will not be strong enough in the third round. In the 18-team tournament, where there are so many strong players, the Chinese team is afraid that they can only be reduced to cannon fodder. In the first round of the tournament, the Chinese team faced Japan and suffered a 7-0 defeat, with the only chances on goal in the whole match going down the drain, making the gap in strength between the two teams obvious. Facing Saudi Arabia, which is quite close in strength, it seems not easy for the Chinese team to turn the tide.
Saudi Arabia has spared no expense in recent years, bringing in stars such as Cron to join the local league, and the national team has hired Vincennes to take the helm and make a push for the 2034 World Cup. In the first round of matches, Saudi Arabia drew 1-1 with Indonesia, showing strong competitiveness. Facing China, which is considered the weakest team today, Saudi Arabia aims not only to win, but also to extend the scoreline and win the final game.
The odds on the Saudis to win the match have dropped significantly since Saudi Arabia's head coach Vincent Vinziani's comments about "five to six goals" were made. For example, a 5-0 win for Saudi Arabia has dropped from 35 times last night to 22 times today. Other away teams (where the home team doesn't score) are favored to win with odds that have continued to fall in the lead up to the start of the match.
