(Source: Shangguan News)
At 7:30 tonight, the U23 national football team will face Thailand in the final round of the U23 Asian Cup group stage. It only needs a draw to ensure promotion to the quarterfinals for the first time. Whether it can open the door to the knockout rounds and take a historic step, the answer is about to be revealed.
Looking back on the first two rounds of competition, the performance of the U23 national football team is remarkable. In the first round, facing the first-tier Iraq U23, the team relied on goalkeeper Li Hao’s many key saves to draw the opponent 0-0 and score 1 point. In the second round, against the powerful Australia U23, Peng Xiao scored in the 43rd minute. Li Hao once again performed a superb save to hold on to the victory. In the end, the team defeated the opponent 1-0. Not only did they win the first group stage victory, but they also held the initiative to qualify and ranked first in the group.
Compared with the steady trend of the U23 national football team, Thailand U23 is currently in a slightly difficult situation. In the first two rounds, it had 1 draw, 1 loss and 1 point and was at the bottom of the group. To make matters worse, the Thai team sent a second team to participate this time. Many of the main players were absent due to league competition, and the players lacked competition experience. This includes the main goalkeeper Bosman, defenders Tamar and Chutong, as well as captain and absolute core Latri and forward Brapa. However, Thailand U23 is not without resistance. This team showed amazing resilience in the second game. They never gave up in the face of Iraq’s 60-minute lagging situation, and finally achieved a tie in the 85th minute. Therefore, it will not be easy for the U23 national football team to score this point.
At the same time, we need to clearly realize that although the U23 country currently ranks first in the group with 4 points, it cannot be considered that there is a “high probability” that it will qualify. Even if the Thai team, which is ranked bottom with only 1 point, wins tonight, it is very likely that it will overwhelm the U23 national football team and advance based on the outcome. Therefore, the Chinese team must ensure at least a draw.
Before the game, Thailand team coach Ontrakul said bluntly: “The Chinese team players are tall, strong and outstanding in strength, but as long as there is still hope – even if there is only a 1% chance left, we will try our best.”
“If you tie, you will qualify” is by no means an easy concept for Chinese football. In the past few decades, the Chinese men’s national football teams at all levels have faced the same situation many times. Unfortunately, they have ended up losing and being eliminated several times. As captain Xu Bin said: “We have no idea of keeping the tie. Everyone on the team, including the players, coaching staff, and even staff, is thinking about winning the game, including every game.”
In 2013, the Thai team with U23 players as the core swept the national football team in Hefei with a 5-1 disparity, setting the largest point difference in the history of the two teams’ confrontation. As time goes by, the Chinese and Thai youth teams meet again, which can be said to be the best “revenge” opportunity for Chinese football.
Looking back on the past, since the Chinese team participated in the U23 Asian Cup in 2014, it has never made it out of the group in the previous sessions. Regardless of the result tonight, this U23 national football team has allowed fans to see the progress of the younger generation of Chinese football: a solid defensive system, clear tactical ideas, and the players’ hard work and fighting spirit. These are valuable assets for future national team building. As head coach Antonio said: “This game is a test and an opportunity. The players need to prove their worth with their performance.”
Original title: “Another draw will lead to qualifying. Can Chinese football overcome this hurdle tonight?” 》
Column Editor: Shen Yuye
Source: Author: Guan Yin of Xinmin Evening News
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