11月17日，阿里汉率领的国足将和中国香港队展开最后的“生死决战”，国足只有以大比分优势战胜香港队，才能实现世界杯出线的愿望。中国队主教练阿里汉在媒体见面会上表示：“如果要想打出一场高比分的比赛，我们应该在上半场就得分，就像我们打印尼、黎巴嫩那样，率先进球我们才有机会，有信心去取得大比分的胜利。”
新华社报道如下：China's Dutch-born head coach Arie Hann is ready to take whatever the consequence at the eve of the team's do-or-die World Cup qualifying battle against Hong Kong of China.
China's hopes of advancing to the 2006 World Cup finals could disappear on Wednesday if they fail to win by a big margin.
Beleaguered Hann apparently felt the pressure as all the Chinese sports media and soccer fans are closely watching the game.
Do-or-die表示“不屈不挠的，孤注一掷的，生死关头的”，例如：The force faces do-or-die clash against the enemy.（这支部队面临着和敌人的生死决战。）
不过，阿里汉补充说：“可能在这一刻会毁掉我们一些梦想，但是有一点请大家相信，这不是中国足球的末日。”