Branko's boys look to bounce back

China needs to put Japan debacle in rearview mirror as Saudi Arabia looms

Team China's humiliating World Cup qualifier loss to Japan has left fans fuming at the program's abysmal decline, as the beleaguered squad struggles to regroup in time for a second test at home.

Three days after the Chinese men's soccer team suffered its worst ever result — a 7-0 thrashing by Japan in Saitama — in its World Cup qualifying history, rage, frustration and even curses from disappointing fans have flooded social media in China, with one desperate hashtag racking up over 2.8 million views, comments and re-posts by Sunday afternoon: "It's too late to refund the tickets for Team China's second match against Saudi Arabia."

Even for arguably the world's most forgiving group of soccer fans, who've been conditioned to tolerate their men's side's crushing defeats one after another, yet still choose to support the underachieving squad, it seems they've had enough.