- Team form: China have W2, D1, L2 in their last five Friendly International Matches, scoring five goals.
- Opposition form: Palestine have W1, D3 and L1 in their last five Friendly International Matches, also scoring five.
- Home/away form: China have a winning record at home (W3, D1, L2), while Palestine have an even record on the road (W2, D2, L2).
A close encounter of two different styles
Head-to-head and home advantage
China beat Palestine 2-0 at home in the 2024/2025 edition of the Friendly International Matches (FIM), which gives them the edge in the head-to-head record for this game. A home advantage should see China through on Friday, but the odds suggest the match will be a close one with little to choose between the sides on paper.
Shao's style
Jiayi Shao's team have been a boom-or-bust team since he took charge of the Dragon Team on 5 November 2025. They followed up a 3-0 home win with a 0-3 loss in their most recent outing. The last two matches look like opposites, but a 3-0 win and a 0-3 loss are actually in line with the overall style that Shao Jiayi has imposed on the team.
Palestine are not easy to beat
In general, this team is a well-organised one, with a controlled build-up and a measured tempo that can be explosive if the ball gets into space. Palestine are a different animal entirely under Ehab Abu Jazar, who took over on 3 December 2024.
His team have been a midfield-heavy, dense bunch that like to stay compact and use opportunistic transitions when opponents over-commit. In the 2-2 home draw with New Zealand, they were outplayed at times, but Abu Jazar's team showed plenty of bite to get the draw in the second half.
Their 4-2 away win against Tajikistan last time was a similar story in that they got stronger as the game went on and deserved the win when they got it.
BTTS is a tricky proposition
China are a better team than their record suggests (W4, D1, L5 across all competitions) because they have been playing much better opposition in the last six months, but we're still looking at a relatively cagey game here with no value in a China win.
- Backing BTTS Yes at 1.68 is the play for this matchup, but it would take a lot of faith to go for that price given Palestine's nature and the fact that China look much the more likely winners on home soil.
- BTTS No will also come at a short price of 2.08, so we're on the fence when it comes to the BTTS markets, preferring to leave them well alone while supporting the BTTS Yes bet.
