The Centennial School Cup | Qin Qian'en scores a hat-trick, Tao Huayuan and Zheng Shanglu meet in the finals

Written by Wang Shaoheng On July 26, the wind in Qidong remains strong, with clouds being blown away, occasionally blocking the summer sun. The wind may blow through the summer, but it cannot extinguish the passion of youth. The two semifinals of the 2nd Centennial School Cup Football Elite Exchange Tournament (Elementary School Group) took place sequentially. The matchups were Tao Huayuan Primary School vs. Zhongguancun First Primary School, and Hefei Normal University Affiliated Second Primary School vs. Zheng Shanglu Primary School in Zhengzhou, Henan Province. The four teams, having gone through four days of intense competition, were not willing to easily give up their chance to advance to the finals.

The starting lineups of both Tao Huayuan Primary School and Zhongguancun First Primary School mainly consisted of players born in 2012, making the match intensely competitive from the very beginning, with both teams having players fall to the ground due to collisions early on. Given Tao Huayuan Primary School's strong performance in previous matches, Zhongguancun Primary School relied on their number 36 center forward, Sun Haorui, as a pivot, frequently launching counterattacks against the opponent's defense. Meanwhile, the overall stronger team, Tao Huayuan Primary School, gradually compressed the opponent's defensive position.

The two top scorers from Tao Huayuan Primary School, number 7 Huang Ziyang and number 17 Wei Qi, faced tight marking from their opponents, preventing the team from executing their previously fluid passing combinations. When the two key players found themselves in trouble, number 10 Huang Yuanjun emerged as the surprise player. This balanced player, skilled with both feet, first cut in from the back, evading a defender before scoring with a left-footed shot into the top corner. He then scored again with a low right-footed shot from outside the box, quickly establishing a two-goal lead for his team. In the second half, Tao Huayuan Primary School added another goal in a fierce battle, ultimately winning 3-0 and advancing to the finals.

On another field, in contrast to the evenly matched game between Tao Huayuan Primary School and Zhongguancun First Primary School, Zheng Shanglu Primary School once again showcased their strong capabilities, turning their match against Hefei Normal University Affiliated Second Primary School into a half-time defensive battle, with the latter retreating completely and only able to use a few counterattacks to enter the opponent's half. However, Hefei Normal University Affiliated Second Primary School's resilience prevented Zheng Shanglu Primary School from replicating the brilliant combinations they had displayed yesterday, and the team's star player, Qin Qian'en, struggled to break through the defense multiple times without success.

As the first half was nearing its end, Hefei Normal University Affiliated Second Primary School's defense eventually succumbed to Qin Qian'en's talent. This star player from Zheng Shanglu Primary School surged into the penalty area from the left, evaded the goalkeeper, and scored with a left-footed shot into an open goal. In the second half, Hefei Normal University Affiliated Second Primary School pressed forward to try to recover from their deficit, which inadvertently provided Zheng Shanglu Primary School with more attacking space. Qin Qian'en, Song Yijun, and Zhang Zixin all scored, with Qin Qian'en notably achieving a hat-trick. Ultimately, Zheng Shanglu Primary School won decisively with a score of 5-1, advancing to the finals, while Qin Qian'en led the scoring chart with 12 goals.

On the evening of July 26, Tao Huayuan Primary School and Zheng Shanglu Primary School will compete for the championship.