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China's hopes of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup ended after the team suffered a surprise loss to Vietnam on Tuesday (Feb. 1).

Vietnam 3-1 China

Vietnam took an early lead after defender Hồ Tấn Tài headed the ball into the back of the net in the ninth minute of the game.

They doubled their lead in the 16th minute thanks to a goal from striker Nguyễn Tiến Linh.

In the second half, Vietnamese winger Phan Văn Đức secured the victory with a long-range shot from outside the penalty box.

China managed to get a consolation goal during injury-time, but it was too late.

The match ended in a 3-1 victory to Vietnam.

You can watch highlights from the match here.

First win after seventh consecutive losses

Vietnam's win came as a surprise as the team had previously lost seven consecutive matches in the third round of the World Cup qualifiers.

This is also the first time Vietnam has defeated China, according to ESPN.

Vietnam will take on Oman next, while China will be facing group leaders and Asian powerhouse Saudi Arabia in their next match.

Only the top two teams from each group will qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the two top third-placed teams will advance to the next round.

Criticism from Chinese fans

According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Chinese team received strong criticism from fans, some of whom felt that the loss was humiliating.

The match became the top trending hashtag on Chinese social media site Weibo.

One user on Weibo wrote, according to SCMP:

"Such a score, and such a defeat to miss the World Cup is absolutely unacceptable to every Chinese fan.

What have we experienced in the past 20 years? How will we live in the next 20 years?"

China's head coach apologises

China's head coach Li Xiaopeng apologised for his side's loss during the post-match conference, reported Xinhua.

He added that he had made a mistake in the game plan and that the Chinese players were too nervous on the pitch.

Li also said that Chinese football would "definitely revive in the future", but it will need hard work from future generations.

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Top images via Liên đoàn Bóng đá Việt Nam-VFF on Facebook.