RIYADH, March 21 (Xinhua) -- After a 1-0 away defeat against Saudi Arabia in the FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday night, China national team captain and goalkeeper Wang Dalei said that despite the loss, his team still has a chance to reach the tournament finals.

Reflecting on the result, Wang said, "It's quite regrettable," adding that football is a team sport and the outcome should not be attributed to individual performances.

Wang pointed out that China had some opportunities in the first half, but the goal the team conceded early in the second half came "quite suddenly." Despite Saudi Arabia creating more chances, he commended China's defensive performance. "No matter who was missing on the pitch, we covered for and helped each other."

With three rounds left, China remains bottom in Group C with six points, level with Indonesia and Bahrain. The top two teams will qualify automatically for next year's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while the third- and fourth-placed teams will advance to a playoff.

Wang remains optimistic about China's qualification prospects. "We still have a chance because both Bahrain and Indonesia also lost their matches," he said.

China defender Jiang Shenglong expressed his determination to continue helping the team and maintain his form in the upcoming matches, particularly the next against Australia.

Jiang noted that China started well in the game, but Lin Liangming's red card disrupted the team's rhythm. "The red card was an accident, and it completely changed the game. There are too many uncertainties in football. We need to learn from this match and prepare for the next one," he said.

China hosts Australia in Hangzhou next Tuesday. Enditem

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