China's U23 Footballers Fall to South Korea but Win Over Fans
China’s under-23 men’s football team lost 2-1 to South Korea on Wednesday in the semi-final of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, ending their run at a gold medal but delivering the country’s best result since football at the Games became an under-23 competition in 2002.
China took the lead before South Korea fought back to win. Wang Yudong scored the Chinese goal. After the final whistle the whole squad walked to the stands to thank the travelling supporters, who responded by chanting “keep fighting” — a rare show of warmth for a team that fell just short.
At the post-match press conference, head coach Antonio said the gap between the sides came down to individual quality rather than organisation. “On an individual level, we were dominated by opponents who play in Europe,” he said. “On a team level, our performance was excellent. The result is a regret, but I am very satisfied with the overall performance of the team.”
That reading was echoed by Chinese football journalists. One wrote that Antonio has brought noticeable change and improvement, giving the side a stability it previously lacked. Against a South Korean team that has been a regular champion at the Asian Games and had won 24 of its last 25 matches, China’s first-half tactics and execution were clear and disciplined, and for much of the second half the team made few obvious errors. Losing after taking the lead still stung.
One player under scrutiny was Xu Bin, who picked up a yellow card in the first half and conceded the corner from which South Korea equalised. Reporters suggested his flat performance may be linked to an earlier injury. Another commentator argued that if China’s youth teams can consistently reach the last four in Asia, a return to the World Cup is realistic, noting that Asia now has 8.5 qualifying places rather than only the two final spots.
Fans on Chinese football forums were generous with their ratings after the match. Wang Yudong received 9.7 out of 10 and Mao Weijie 9.4, part of a wave of high scores for a group of players who have now reached an U23 Asian Cup final and an Asian Games semi-final in the same year.
China will play for bronze on 3 October at 14:00 Beijing time against the loser of the other semi-final between Uzbekistan and Japan. A win would give the squad a medal to go with the progress they have shown.
Attention will also turn to what comes next. Reports suggest Antonio is likely to be appointed head coach of the Olympic-age national team, giving him the chance to build on a tournament in which his side lost to a stronger opponent but left with its reputation enhanced. For a generation of Chinese players who have spent little time in Europe, the lesson from Nagoya was clear: the team can compete, but individual quality still decides the tightest games.