U23 Chinese National Team: On the Verge of Historic Qualification? Just One Step Away!

Reporter Lu Mi reporting On January 11, in the crucial Group D clash of the U23 Asian Cup, China’s U23 men’s football team took on Australia’s U23 side. The young Chinese squad resisted the pressure and won 1-0 with a goal by Peng Xiao. This was China’s first goal in the tournament. With 4 points from two matches, the U23 team has set a new scoring record for China in the U23 Asian Cup and holds the advantage to advance. A draw or better against Thailand in the final round will secure their qualification.

At the start of the match, Australia used their physical strength to apply high pressing, quickly gaining possession and controlling the game’s tempo. Their attacks mainly relied on wing breakthroughs combined with crosses into the center. China’s coach Antonio deployed a 5-3-2 formation, with three central defenders and two wing-backs holding their positions tightly, while the three midfielders dropped back to form a defensive shield in front of the backline.

For most of the first half, the ball was predominantly with Australia, and the Chinese youngsters had to work hard defensively. In the opening 15 minutes, Australia’s possession rate reached 62%, but their passing lanes were restricted, and the forwards were not in top form, so most attacks failed to produce serious shots.

In the 28th minute, Wang Yudong took a shot even though the ball was about to go out of bounds, but the Australian goalkeeper collected it. Afterwards, China gradually created some counterattack opportunities. At the 43rd minute, Li Zhenquan earned a free kick in the attacking area, and central defender Peng Xiao keenly seized a second-ball chance to calmly score. This goal was China’s only genuine shot on target in the first half and marked the team’s first goal in this U23 Asian Cup edition.

Entering the second half with a lead, the confidence of the U23 Chinese players noticeably increased, and their teamwork improved with a high passing accuracy.

Australia, eager to equalize, increased the number of aerial balls. Their coach made substitutions starting at the 58th minute to speed up transitions and reduce ineffective possession. They combined wing crosses with central penetrations to continuously challenge China’s defense. After the changes, Australian midfielders pushed forward aggressively, pinning China in their own half. China adjusted by tightening their formation: midfielders Xu Bin, Li Zhenquan, and Mutalifu focused on interceptions, while full-backs Hu Hetao and Yang Xi reduced forward runs to concentrate on wing defense, making it difficult for Australia to find effective solutions.

For most of the second half, Australia controlled the game, generating many shooting chances. China’s goalkeeper Li Hao became the backbone of the defense by making multiple crucial saves within six minutes.

It was evident that Antonio had studied Australia thoroughly. Whether it was the choice of the 5-3-2 defensive formation or the detailed marking and support strategies, the team executed the coach’s tactical plan flawlessly, achieving near-perfect defensive performance.

During stoppage time, the opponent scored a goal, but since it was preceded by a handball, the referee disallowed it. Ultimately, the U23 Chinese team secured the valuable 3 points.

When the final whistle blew, the Chinese U23 players burst into tears of joy, releasing the tension built up throughout the match. The coaching staff also rushed onto the field to celebrate this hard-earned victory with the players.

“It’s unbelievable, truly unbelievable for us. This is a historic moment for Chinese football. To add, these players are amazing, really amazing. Their spirit and fighting spirit are outstanding,” Antonio expressed emotionally.

Yet Antonio remained composed: “As a coach, I have to stay calm because it’s not over yet. In three days, we have another tough match ahead. Thailand is a very strong team, and it will definitely be a difficult challenge for us.”

In another match that finished late last night, Thailand’s U23 scored an equalizer in the 85th minute to draw 1-1 with Iraq’s U23. Although Thailand has only earned 1 point from two games, they have shown solid competitiveness. After two rounds, China leads Group D with 4 points, Australia is second with 3, Iraq third with 2, and Thailand last with 1, but all four teams still have hopes to qualify. On January 14 at 7:30 PM Beijing time, China’s U23 will face Thailand U23 in the final group match.

Given the current standings, a win against Thailand will guarantee China the top spot in the group; a draw will also ensure qualification, though the group winner will depend on the Iraq vs. Australia result; a loss to Thailand would likely eliminate China due to head-to-head tiebreakers in the U23 Asian Cup (except in the rare case where China, Australia, and Thailand all finish with 4 points, where China might advance on goal difference). As Antonio said, the battle is not over, and the U23 team’s focus is now on performing well in the final group match against Thailand.