Titan Sports Weekly front-page headline—10 points from four rounds: China national football team's best-ever start to the final round of AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Have they already secured a World Cup ticket?
After the fourth round, the situation in Group B had become clearer, starting with China and Japan.
It had been predicted from the moment the groups were drawn that China and Japan would form a separate tier in Group B, above the other four teams. That had indeed proven to be the case so far. Whether in squad strength or coaching ability, these two teams were far superior to the others in their group.
South Korea and Iran were in much the same situation in the neighboring group.
So, had China already secured qualification for the World Cup finals?
"Yes!"
"It's in the bag!"
Li Laoba was brimming with confidence. "I have to stress again, I don't really watch China national football team matches unless Tang Ye is playing. But let me tell you, based on these recent AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, China has already secured a World Cup finals spot as far as I'm concerned."
"Or rather, they've already secured a place in the knockout stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar—in a Manchester accent!"
Li Laoba might have been a little absurd, but his exaggerated reaction genuinely reflected the current state of China national football team fans.
The two most confident fanbases in world football right now.
First, Manchester United.
Second, the China national team.
Setting the fan perspective aside, from the Chinese players' point of view, drawing 2-2 against Japan away from home was indeed a very good result.
An away draw, then take all three points at home. The script already seemed to have been written!
As for Tang Ye himself, his trip