Centennial Famous Schools Cup | Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School vs. Yali Foreign Language School, the "ceiling battle" of junior high school football

Written by/Zuo Rui, Nan Nan The second “Centennial Famous Schools Cup” junior high tournament in Hengyang, Hunan, has reached its final and most thrilling stage. The two semifinals played on the afternoon of the 19th represent the highest level of junior high school football in schools today.

Tournament favorites Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School defeated last year’s Centennial Cup runner-up Xi’an Tieyi Middle School 2-0, advancing to the final with a flawless record of five wins and no goals conceded. Meanwhile, the other semifinal was a repeat of last year’s U13 National Youth Championship final, with Changsha Yali Foreign Language School edging Nanchang No. 2 Middle School 2-1.

On the afternoon of the 20th, Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School and Changsha Yali will face off in the ultimate final, battling for the championship. Judging by both teams’ performances along the way, this final will be a top-tier contest in junior high school football for the Centennial Famous Schools Cup.

The semifinal between Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School and Xi’an Tieyi Middle School was played first. Xi’an Tieyi, who have been improving throughout the tournament, used solid defense in the first half to stifle their opponents and even created four scoring chances. Three were stopped by goalkeeper Chen Yitao, and the other was cleared off the line by a defender. Although the first half ended 0-0, Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School’s technical superiority was already apparent.

In the second half, Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School made tactical changes first: No. 8 Gao Haoran dropped back to center back, No. 11 Zhang Renbo moved to defensive midfield, and the introduction of two smaller substitutes—No. 12 Chen Jitao and No. 29 Lin Yuxi—gave them full control of the midfield. In the 20th minute, an attack initiated by Chen Jitao set up Zhang Renbo for a long-range shot outside the box; he curled the ball with his left foot into the top left corner—a spectacular goal that put Guangzhou No. 5 in front.

Six minutes later, Lin Yuxi delivered a cut-back cross from the left, and No. 7 Wang Jingwei finished with a tap-in. Even with a 2-0 lead, the game was far from settled. After captain Gao Haoran received a second yellow card and was sent off, Tieyi Middle School nearly capitalized: No. 35 Hu Tongxuan’s header threatened the goal, and just before the final whistle, No. 37 Wang Hongbo hit the post.

After the match, Tieyi Middle School head coach Liu Yibing said the team delivered their best performance in Hengyang, but there was still a gap in overall strength and squad depth compared to their opponents. “Both of their goals were beautifully executed and flawless,” he said, adding that this match provided the greatest learning value for his team in Hengyang.

Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School head coach Zhao Shaowei praised his team’s defense and hopes to keep a clean sheet in the final as well. “Today we made targeted adjustments in defense. We didn’t have special requirements in attack—just asked the players to perform as they do in training, and they played at their normal level.”

Zhang Renbo, who scored the opening goal, admitted he was worried the match might go to penalties. “Luckily, my goal relieved our pressure and also hit their morale.” Gao Haoran, the “defensive anchor” who will miss the final, believes his absence won’t weaken the team: “I have great confidence in the squad and tomorrow’s final.”

After qualifying, Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School watched the next semifinal from the stands. Thirty minutes into the match, when they left, Changsha Yali was already up 2-0. Just one minute in, No. 31 Wang Jincheng scored a lightning-fast goal; in the 13th minute, No. 63 Peng Zhonghu smashed in a shot from a tight angle at the far post after receiving a cross from a teammate.

In last year’s National Youth Championship final, Nanchang No. 2 Middle School had taken the lead but were overtaken by three goals from their Hunan opponents. This time, the “avengers” fell behind by two, but after a hydration break, they surged back and pressed Yali into their own half for a while. In the second half, the Nanchang coaching staff moved No. 3 Wang Yuhao from defensive midfield to striker, which provided a focal point up front and sparked their attack. In the 6th minute, No. 9 Tang Yuanming’s direct free kick deflected off the wall and went in. Later, captain Guo Sihave’s header was acrobatically saved by Yali goalkeeper Wan Kai.

The intense battle continued until the final whistle. If not for Nanchang No. 2’s goalkeeper Wan Zhengyang’s brilliant saves, the margin would have widened and the suspense would have ended much earlier.

After the match, Wang Yuhao said this was their fourth loss to Changsha Yali, but also the closest and most hard-fought encounter between the two sides. “Right now, we all feel really upset.” If given another chance to play in the next Centennial Famous Schools Cup, their goal will be “to beat Changsha and win the championship.”

Nanchang No. 2 Middle School’s coach Zeng Deqiang felt both teams performed very well in this semifinal. “Of course we wanted to win, and even when we were on the back foot, the players kept fighting and running hard, creating many opportunities.” He could accept the 1-2 result and believes that, apart from confidence, his team is not inferior to their opponents in any other aspect.

Yali head coach Wen Fan said after the match that their early lead involved a bit of luck, and the players performed better when relaxed. What impressed him most about the opponents was their unwavering tactical discipline and strong desire to win from start to finish. He was proud that his players gave everything to defend their lead when the opponents pulled one back and pressed forward.

The clash between Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School and Yali Foreign Language School is not only a showdown between the two strongest teams in this year’s Centennial Famous Schools Cup, but also a “No. 5 Derby.” Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School is a traditional powerhouse in national school football, always among the top teams. Yali Foreign Language School belongs to the Yali Education Group, and Yali Middle School was renamed “Changsha No. 5 Middle School” in 1952, before reverting to “Yali Middle School” in 1985. Thus, in a sense, this final is also a “No. 5 Derby.”

The top teams in school football are battling it out in Hengyang, and both head coaches agree: “At this stage of the tournament, it’s impossible not to want the championship.” Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School’s coach Zhao Shaowei said the team will be missing some players in the final due to injuries, “Regardless of the opponent, we’ll stick to our style and just play our game.” Captain Gao Haoran, who was sent off with a second yellow card in the semifinal’s closing moments, will miss the final, making the competition for best player even more open. Another key player for Guangzhou No. 5 also suffered a hand fracture.

In contrast, Yali Foreign Language School can field their strongest lineup. Head coach Wen Fan said, “We know Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School has always been a top football school in China. We haven’t had many chances to play them before, and we’ve noticed they haven’t conceded a goal in this tournament, which is a challenge for our attack. We’ll just try to play as we do in training—that will be enough.”

This year’s Centennial Famous Schools Cup brought together 16 top school football teams from 14 provinces across the country, including last year’s National Youth Championship finalists and top teams from this year’s regional championships. Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School coach Zhao Shaowei said all the teams in this tournament are strong and closely matched, making the event extremely valuable for exchange and learning.

After the successful high school and elementary school tournaments in Guangzhou Nansha and Jiangsu Qidong, the second Centennial Famous Schools Cup is about to reach its final showdown. Guangzhou No. 5 Middle School has won every game without conceding, while Changsha Yali Foreign Language School has shown the quality of a youth championship team. Their meeting in the final promises to be a spectacular clash of titans.

The 2025 Second Centennial Famous Schools Football Elite Exchange Tournament (Junior Boys’ Division) is organized by Information Times and Football Newspaper, supported by the China Football Development Foundation, Hengyang Education Bureau, Hengyang Culture, Tourism, Radio, Television and Sports Bureau, and Shenzhen Kaishi Education Information Co., Ltd., and is held in Hengyang from August 15 to 20.