Hopes fading

Ivankovic's trust in youth, highlighted by a handful of players younger than 25 who have made senior international debuts under him, has helped make amends for his debatable coaching style.

"We've called up at least 15 new young players to the national team since last March when I had just taken over, and we've run some new plays," Ivankovic said.

"We are a young team, playing against the best in Asia at the moment. The results might not be as good as expected, but we are satisfied with the process and the growth of our players."

Wang, who drew some of the loudest cheers from the crowd in the second half with his agile dribbling and 10 successful passes on the left flank, remains humble after his 24-minute, high-profile senior international debut.

"I really appreciate the opportunity, and I've picked up a lot of confidence," said the 18-year-old, who just last month led China's youth squad to the quarterfinals of the U20 Asian Cup.

Whether it manages to make it to the World Cup for a second time since its sole appearance in 2002 or not, Team China should never stop investing in youth, as suggested by Australian head coach Tony Popovic.

"He came on the left side, played with a lot of confidence. I think they just need to keep doing that and giving the younger generation more exposure at this level," Popovic said of Wang's performance.