China coach describes humiliating WC qualifier defeat to Japan as "most difficult night"

China's Defeat to Japan

China's coach, Li Xiaopeng, has described his team's 2-0 defeat to Japan in a World Cup qualifier as the "most difficult night" of his career. The result leaves China with just one point from their first two games in the final round of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup and facing an uphill task to reach Qatar.

A first-half penalty from Takumi Minamino and a late strike from Junya Ito condemned China to a 2-0 defeat at home to Japan in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

China coach Li Xiaopeng admitted that the defeat was a "very difficult night" for him and his team.

Li said: "This is the most difficult night for me since I became the coach of the Chinese national team. We lost the game, we lost at home, and we lost to our biggest rival. I feel very sorry for the fans who came to support us tonight."

Li said that his team made too many mistakes and that they were not able to match Japan's intensity.

Li said: "We made too many mistakes in the game. We were not able to control the ball well and we were not able to create many chances. Japan played with a very high intensity and we were not able to match them."

Li said that he will take responsibility for the defeat and that he will work hard to improve the team.

Li said: "I will take responsibility for this defeat. I will work hard to improve the team and I will try to lead the team to the World Cup."

China's World Cup Hopes

China's hopes of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 2002 now look slim.

They are bottom of their qualifying group with just one point from their first two games.

They face an uphill task to finish in the top two and qualify automatically for the World Cup.

They could still qualify for the playoffs if they finish third in their group.

But they will need to improve their form dramatically if they are to have any chance of reaching Qatar.

Conclusion

China's defeat to Japan was a major setback for their hopes of reaching the World Cup.

They now face an uphill task to qualify for the tournament.

Coach Li Xiaopeng has said that he will take responsibility for the defeat and that he will work hard to improve the team.

But China will need to improve their form dramatically if they are to have any chance of reaching Qatar.