The Chinese national under-20 football team began their AFC U20 Asian Cup campaign with a victory, defeating Qatar 2-1 at the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Centre Stadium in Shenzhen. Goals from Kuai Jiwen and Liu Chengyu secured a 2-0 lead for China in the first half. Qatar, the 2015 AFC U20 Asian Cup champions, managed to score once in the second half.
The Chinese team has set ambitious goals for the tournament, aiming to qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup Chile 2025. Their last appearance in the global competition was in 2005. Head coach Dejan Durdevic emphasized the team's objective of reaching the top four in the Asian Cup to secure a spot in the World Cup.
Before the match, Song Kai, president of the Chinese Football Association, delivered an inspirational message to the U20 team, encouraging them to take control and strive for success. The team played with a higher ball possession rate compared to Qatar, under the observation of senior national team head coach Branko Ivankovic and Bora Milutinovic.
Statistical data revealed that Qatar had only one shot on target out of eight attempts, which resulted in their goal. In contrast, China had six shots on target from 13 attempts. The Chinese under-20 team is competing in Group A alongside Australia, Kyrgyzstan, and Qatar. Their upcoming matches include facing Kyrgyzstan on Saturday and Australia on Tuesday.
The AFC Under-20 Asian Cup is also a platform for identifying young talents for the senior national teams. The performances of the U20 players in this tournament could influence their chances of being selected for the national team. Ivankovic aims to rejuvenate the senior national team, which will continue its World Cup Asian qualifying campaign in March.
Since Djurdjevic took over in January 2024, China's U20 side has participated in several international friendlies, including victories against South Korea and Iran, and a draw with Australia. These results have raised the expectations of Chinese fans for a strong performance in the Asian Cup.
9 Comments
BuggaBoom
Another victory, another false dawn? I'll believe it when I see them perform consistently well.
Katchuka
We've heard this before. "Ambitious goals"... until the next disappointing knock-out.
KittyKat
This is exactly what we need - hope and excitement! Keep up the good work.
Noir Black
Qatar wasn't exactly a powerhouse. Let's see them take on Australia.
Leonardo
Very good to see the team with the advantage! Showing a strong start for upcoming games!
Raphael
Two goals were scored and that shows they can work as a team - keep the good work up!
Muchacho
Let's see some fresh talent for the senior team! This could be the turning point.
Coccinella
2-1 against Qatar? That's not exactly dominant. We need to see more.
Mariposa
2005? That's a long time ago. The senior team is a disaster, and now we're relying on this?