China coach Ivankovic won’t resign, encouraged by improved performance in Saudi loss
Branko Ivankovic says he saw signs for optimism in 2-1 defeat at home in World Cup qualifier
Rooted to the bottom of their qualifying group having conceded nine goals in two games, China are as far away as ever from reaching a World Cup, but coach Branko Ivankovic said he would not be resigning.
The Croatian watched his side lose 2-1 at home to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, despite having a man advantage for more than 70 minutes. And with Ali Lajami scoring an own goal to put the hosts in front, no Chinese player has scored in 180 minutes of football.
Still, Branko said with eight games to go in Group C, he harboured hopes of finishing in the top four and pointed to his team being “a little better” than in their 7-0 hammering at the hands of Japan.
However, with the group’s lowest-ranked team Indonesia on two points after back-to-back draws, there was little surprise that the hashtag “Ivankovic step down” began trending on social media platform Weibo minutes after the final whistle.
Since being appointed in February to replace Serbia’s Aleksandar Jankovic, Ivankovic has won one of his six games in charge, drawing two and losing three.
“The question shouldn’t be directed at me,” Ivankovic said when asked if he would resign. “We suffered a substantial loss in the first match, but we improved in the second.
