Hopes fading

Only the top two in each group secure automatic qualification to the 2026 finals, and the third- and fourth-ranked sides advance to a fourth phase to vie for two remaining tickets to the expanded 48-entry marquee FIFA tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

With two fixtures remaining, against Indonesia on June 5 and Bahrain five days later, Team China, guided by Croatian coach Branko Ivankovic, will have to at least draw with the southeastern Asian side on the road and beat the Gulf island nation by a large enough score at home to stay theoretically alive in the race to the 2026 finals.

A loss to Indonesia, which clinched a critical 1-0 home victory over Bahrain on Tuesday to stay three points ahead of the bottom two, will end China's hopes for a topfour finish, regardless of its final game's result against Bahrain.