Chinese national football team Photo: VCG

The Chinese men's national football team is undergoing their final preparations for their last World Cup Asian qualifier match on Tuesday in Chongqing, as they look for a win over Bahrain that will make the Chinese team not the bottom finishers.

Coach Branko Ivankovic emphasized the importance of securing a win for China at what might be his last pre-match news conference as the head coach of the Chinese national team. 

"Our goal in this match is to get a victory. We want to dedicate it to the fans," he said through an interpreter on Monday. "They have shown us tremendous support and love for our national team. We must reflect that on the field and finish our World Cup qualifying campaign the right way."

Speculations were rampant that the Croatian's tenure with the national team would be over after the team's ­elimination confirmed last week following a disappointing defeat to Indonesia in Jakarta, making the encounter with Bahrain at home devolved into only a symbolic opportunity rather than in competitive level.

But Ivankovic clarified that his future rests in continued discussions with the Chinese Football Association, instead of a unilateral decision made on his own.

"Whether this is my last match in charge depends on communication with the CFA. We are preparing wholeheartedly for the match. After the qualifiers end, performances will be carefully analyzed and then I believe the CFA will make a decision."

The Chinese side sit at the bottom of a group that includes Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Bahrain. Despite the blow of not qualifying for further stages, ticket sales for the Tuesday match at Chongqing Longxing Stadium reached full capacity shortly after going on sale.

The Chinese national team squad also faces fitness issues. 

Defender Hu Hetao suffered a knee injury late in the Indonesia game, while center back Zhu Chenjie also exited the team with a major muscle problem. Wing back Cao Yongjing has been ruled out with a shoulder injury. Meanwhile, key players such as Wu Lei remain sidelined by long-term health concerns.

In response, the team has summoned Hou Yongyong and Liu Zhurun to the final 23-player roster. Ivankovic stressed that those fit will have his full trust: "Every player in the squad is ready to go out there and fight."

Veteran goalkeeper Wang Dalei said the match is also likely to be his last. 

"It's been 20 years since my first cap in 2006," he recalled. 

"I've worked with many coaches, teammates, and mentors, and learned a lot - not always necessarily winning. For this last qualifier, I hope to impart something useful to the younger players, to help them carry on that spirit."

Wang, among the core of teammates praised for unity, highlighted his experience and emphasized safeguarding this positive legacy.

"We leave behind the useful things, the unity, the effort - and we remove what isn't good," Wang noted.

The wider narrative of this qualifying campaign highlights a transitional phase for China's national team. Ivankovic has overseen a significant generational shift, integrating younger players and hoping to establish stability.

"Players like Xie Wenneng, Hu Hetao, Baihelamu, Liu Chengyu, and Wang Yudong are settling into the national team - they're our future," he said. 

Despite the heavy burden of failure, Ivankovic insists the defeat to Indonesia does not negate the prospects ahead.

"Every loss is heavy, but we must turn the page and approach Bahrain positively, both physically and mentally," he said.