Editing China national football team (section)

====Li Tie and Li Xiaopeng's era====
[[2002 FIFA World Cup]] ace [[Li Tie]] was appointed as China's head coach on 2 January 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chinadaily.com.cn/a/202001/02/WS5e0d96b8a310cf3e3558218a.html|title=Li Tie appointed head coach of China's national football team|date=2020-02-01|publisher=China Daily|access-date=11 August 2022|archive-date=18 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618105028/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202001/02/WS5e0d96b8a310cf3e3558218a.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Trailing behind [[Syria national football team|Syria]] by five points before Li took charge, China were still unable to reclaim their first place but nonetheless managed to win all of their remaining fixtures, including an important 2–0 win over the [[Philippines national football team|Philippines]] and notably a 3–1 win over Syria to guarantee them as the best second-placed team, thus reaching the [[2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round|third round]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-06/08/c_139994620.htm|title=China beats the Philippines in World Cup Asian qualifier|date=2021-06-08|publisher=XinhuaNet|access-date=27 July 2021|archive-date=27 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727151658/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-06/08/c_139994620.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-06/16/c_1310009774.htm|title=China beats Syria to reach final round of WC Asian Qualifiers|date=2021-06-16|publisher=XinhuaNet|access-date=27 July 2021|archive-date=27 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727151659/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-06/16/c_1310009774.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the third round, China shared Group B with Asian powerhouses Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia, alongside Oman and [[Vietnam national football team|Vietnam]]. The Chinese started poorly with two losses to Australia and Japan in [[Doha]] due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in China|COVID-19 pandemic at home]] preventing the country from hosting.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-03/socceroos-vs-china-live-updates-world-cup-qualifier/100419322|title=Socceroos comfortably beat China 3–0 in World Cup qualifier|newspaper=ABC News|date=2 September 2021|last=Smale|first=Simon|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215175935/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-03/socceroos-vs-china-live-updates-world-cup-qualifier/100419322|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/09/3c2546b79565-soccer-japan-defeat-china-for-1st-win-in-world-cup-final-qualifiers.html|title=Football: Japan defeat China for 1st win in World Cup final qualifiers|publisher=Kyodo News|date=2021-09-08|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215175933/https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/09/3c2546b79565-soccer-japan-defeat-china-for-1st-win-in-world-cup-final-qualifiers.html|url-status=live}}</ref> After this poor start, China salvaged five points in the next four matches, including a hard-fought 3–2 win over Vietnam and two 1–1 draws to Oman and especially Australia, all occurring in [[Sharjah]], the UAE.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3155804/chinese-coach-li-tie-disappointed-after-1-1-draw-oman-all-ends-world|title=Chinese coach Li Tie left disappointed as World Cup hopes hang by thread|date=12 November 2021|author=Chan Kin-wa|publisher=South China Morning Post|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=16 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216043007/https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3155804/chinese-coach-li-tie-disappointed-after-1-1-draw-oman-all-ends-world|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/16/australia-pegged-back-in-china-as-world-cup-qualifying-battle-intensifies-socceroos|title=Australia pegged back by China as World Cup qualifying battle intensifies|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=16 November 2021|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215175933/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/16/australia-pegged-back-in-china-as-world-cup-qualifying-battle-intensifies-socceroos|url-status=live}}</ref> However, despite these improvements, Li Tie was sacked on 2 December 2021 amidst heavy criticism.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sport/former-everton-star-li-tie-quits-china-coach-2356186|title=Former Everton star Li Tie quits as China coach|newspaper=CNA|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215175934/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sport/former-everton-star-li-tie-quits-china-coach-2356186|url-status=live}}</ref>

After Li Tie's resignation, his World Cup teammate [[Li Xiaopeng (footballer)|Li Xiaopeng]] took the head coach position with immense pressure.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3158518/li-xiaopeng-facing-host-problems-china-coach-domestic-upheaval-just-one|title=New man Li Xiaopeng facing host of problems as China coach|date=5 December 2021|publisher=South China Morning Post|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215175944/https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3158518/li-xiaopeng-facing-host-problems-china-coach-domestic-upheaval-just-one|url-status=live}}</ref> China's first game under Li Xiaopeng, however, was a 0–2 away loss to Japan in [[Saitama (city)|Saitama]], effectively ending China's hopes of finishing in the top two and could only rely on the play-offs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3164985/2022-world-cup-china-slip-another-defeat-japan-ease-victory-saitama|title=China's World Cup qualifying dreams all but over after Japan defeat|date=27 January 2022|last=Ball|first=Josh|publisher=South China Morning Post|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215175935/https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3164985/2022-world-cup-china-slip-another-defeat-japan-ease-victory-saitama|url-status=live}}</ref> Yet, on 1 February 2022, coinciding with the traditional [[Lunar New Year]], the Chinese stumbled to a [[Vietnam vs China (2022 FIFA World Cup qualification)|shock 1–3]] loss to Vietnam in [[Hanoi]], officially extending China's hunt for a second World Cup appearance to 24 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/20220202/cd010c273dcb4c6f992f9670cee80283/c.html|title=China's World Cup hopes crushed by loss to Vietnam-Xinhua|date=2022-02-02|publisher=XinhuaNet|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=4 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204030323/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/20220202/cd010c273dcb4c6f992f9670cee80283/c.html|url-status=live}}</ref> This defeat, the first in Chinese football history to Vietnam, triggered widespread anger and criticism amongst Chinese fans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3165526/chinas-slim-fifa-world-cup-2022-qualification-hopes-end-emphatic|title=Angry netizens blast China's 'embarrassing' and 'humiliating' defeat by Vietnam, with FIFA World Cup 2022 hopes over|date=2022-02-01|last=Atkin|first=Nicholas|publisher=South China Morning Post|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215180558/https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3165526/chinas-slim-fifa-world-cup-2022-qualification-hopes-end-emphatic|url-status=live}}</ref> With their World Cup hopes lost, China grabbed a solitary point coming from a 1–1 draw with the Saudis before losing to Oman 0–2 in Muscat, finishing fifth with two more points than Vietnam.