“I am pleased with the result against Thailand, but not entirely satisfied with our overall performance. I believe we can play much better. 

“We will analyse the match and work on improving our game to deliver a stronger performance in the upcoming game,” said Ismoilov, who will once again rely on his speedy attackers for goals.

Should Thailand fail to beat Saudi Arabia in the other match, victory for Uzbekistan against China will not only seal qualification to the AFC U17 Asian Cup quarter-finals, but also an automatic berth to the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025.

China PR head coach Kenichi Uemura, meanwhile, was undaunted by the task his side face in their remaining matches.

“The defeat to Saudi Arabia made our upcoming mission clear. We have no choice but to win our last two matches, beginning with Uzbekistan. Since we already know what to do, I do not see this as an additional pressure on the team,” he said.

China PR lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, having struggled to stamp their authority throughout.

The last-gasp goal from striker Wei Xiangxin could prove pivotal to their goal difference at the completion of the group matches but first, China PR will need to secure maximum points from their next two matches.

China PR v Uzbekistan
Venue: Okaz Stadium
Kick-off: Sunday, 18:00 (UTC+3)