Ten-man Saudi Arabia fought back to secure a 2-1 victory over China in their Group C second-round match of the Asian 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday. Defender Hassan Kadesh’s brace proved decisive in the hard-fought encounter.
Early Setback and Kanno’s Red Card
The match began with an early setback for Saudi Arabia when Ali Lajami scored an own goal in the 14th minute, giving China an unexpected lead. Moments later, the Saudis suffered another blow when midfielder Kanno received a red card for kicking China’s Jiang Shenglong after the referee had blown for a foul. Initially missed by the officials, VAR intervened, leading to Kanno’s dismissal.
Kadesh Leads the Comeback
Despite being down to 10 men, the Green Falcons remained resilient. Kadesh equalized just before halftime with a header from Nasser Al-Dawsari’s corner, finding the top left corner of the net. As the second half progressed, China intensified their pressure, but the Saudi defense held firm.
Late Drama and Victory
In the second half, as rain poured down at the Suoyuwan Football Stadium, China thought they had regained the lead when Wang Shangyuan bundled the ball home from a corner, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. At the other end, Salem Al-Dawsari’s shot cannoned off the crossbar, missing a chance to put Saudi Arabia ahead.
As both teams searched for a winner, Kadesh once again found himself unmarked during a corner in the last minute of regulation time. His powerful header sealed the win for Saudi Arabia, sparking wild celebrations.
Saudi Arabia Tops Group C
With this victory, Saudi Arabia climbed to the top of Group C with 4 points from a draw and a win. China, however, remains at the bottom of the six-team group after two defeats, with only the top two guaranteed a place at the 2026 World Cup.
