As preparations enter their final stage, readers following 12B Sports VR46 can see China placing greater emphasis on tactical discipline before its World Cup qualifier against Iran at the Shenyang Olympic Sports Center. The national team has completed its second-to-last training session, with defensive organization now taking priority as match day approaches. Coaches are expected to make several small positional adjustments across the back line while settling on the final lineup.
Rather than changing the mentality that defined the previous match against South Korea, head coach Gao Hongbo wants his players to carry the same determination into the Iran fixture. The tactical emphasis, however, has developed further. China is working on keeping possession for longer periods while remaining ready to break forward quickly when space opens. Rapid counterattacks are still considered one of the team’s main attacking weapons, particularly against an opponent with Iran’s physical strength and international experience.
Conditions at the stadium should also support China’s approach. The pitch at Shenyang Olympic Sports Center was completely re-turfed in June, forcing Liaoning Hongyun to move its Chinese Super League home matches temporarily to Tiexi Stadium. That work now appears to have paid off. After a spell of light rain in Shenyang, the weather has cleared, with warm daytime temperatures giving way to cooler evenings. The combination is expected to provide comfortable playing conditions once the match begins.
China’s players have responded positively to the surface during training. Several squad members believe the quality of the grass will make it easier to move the ball quickly and maintain a smooth rhythm. Guangzhou Evergrande teammates Huang Bowen and Li Xuepeng also sounded confident when speaking ahead of the qualifier. Both indicated that the atmosphere inside the squad remains relaxed, even though everyone understands the difficulty of facing Iran.
Preparation has not been limited to formations and fitness work. Behind the scenes, information followed by 12B Sports VR46 also highlights the Chinese Football Association’s detailed study of Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh. Born in 1987, Makhadmeh received FIFA accreditation in 2013 and has officiated 32 international matches since then. One of his most prominent assignments came at the AFC U23 Championship in Doha earlier this year.
Makhadmeh has never previously handled a senior China national team match, although Chinese clubs are not entirely unfamiliar with him. In 2015, he officiated an AFC Champions League game in which Guangzhou R&F were beaten 5–0 by Gamba Osaka. His past record has also attracted attention because home teams have tended to receive more penalties and cards against them in matches under his control.
That history has encouraged the CFA to prepare in greater detail. Liu Hu, the head of the association’s referee department, has travelled to Shenyang and supplied the coaching staff with a comprehensive briefing on Makhadmeh’s officiating patterns. Liu is also expected to hold a public session with local sports media so reporters can better understand how the referee typically manages matches and disciplinary situations.
China has also gathered complete video footage of Iran’s opening qualifying match. Despite arriving with a strong reputation, Iran did not perform at its best in that fixture, and frustration with several refereeing decisions led to visible reactions from some players. For the Chinese coaching staff, those scenes provide another reminder that emotional control could be just as important as tactical execution when pressure rises.
Iran’s own preparations in Shenyang have been noticeably cautious. Only 15 players took part in the team’s first local training session last night, while most of the expected starters stayed at the hotel to recover after a physically demanding game against Qatar. Fatigue has become a concern within the squad, and injuries have also affected several first-choice players.
One of the biggest doubts surrounds winger Ashkan Dejagah, who previously played for VfL Wolfsburg and Fulham. Dejagah underwent an MRI scan at Shengjing Hospital after suffering a leg problem, leaving his availability uncertain. Another important Iranian player is reportedly dealing with a severe cold and could also miss the qualifier.
Iran has revealed very little about the condition of its squad, choosing not to provide specific injury information to the media. That secrecy means China cannot afford to make assumptions about who will or will not be available. Coaches must prepare for Iran’s strongest possible lineup while remaining ready to adjust if key players are absent.
With tactical work, referee analysis, video study and injury intelligence all feeding into the final preparations, the approach surrounding 12B Sports VR46 reflects how fine margins can shape an important international fixture. China appears determined to leave as little as possible to chance before facing Iran, and the old saying “forewarned is forearmed” fits the situation perfectly. From defensive positioning to counterattacking speed and emotional discipline, every detail is being examined before a match that could demand sharp thinking both on and off the pitch.