in the wake of
U.S.-Canada-Mexico World Cup
Asian region
preliminary competition
Elite 18
As the Chinese national soccer team approaches, the road to participation can be described as a mixed bag. On the one hand, being able to qualify for the 18-team tournament is an achievement in itself, and provides a valuable opportunity for the Chinese team to make an impact on the World Cup final round. On the other hand, facing strong opponents, the challenge of the national soccer team should not be underestimated.
First, let's focus on the positive. The fact that the Chinese national soccer team is able to participate in the 18-team tournament means that they have a direct ticket to the World Cup stage. This is not only a hope, but also a recognition of the team's strength. In addition, the competition in the 18-team tournament will provide the national football team with a lot of experience in high-level matches, especially in the 10 matches they need to play in the first stage, each of which is a learning opportunity against strong players. Moreover, by advancing to the Round of 18, the national soccer team has also secured a place in the next Asian Cup, which is undoubtedly double good news.
However, there are also concerns: the opponents in the 18-team tournament are generally strong, and the national soccer team already has a tough road to advance in the 36-team tournament, so the pressure to do well against even stronger opponents can be imagined. What's even more worrying is that the national soccer team already has 15 players who have accumulated a yellow card in previous matches, and according to the rules, these yellow cards will be carried over to the 18-team tournament. Once these players receive another yellow card, they will face the danger of suspension, which will undoubtedly affect the team's overall performance and tactical deployment.
Fortunately, news has emerged that the AFC has applied to FIFA to remove the red and yellow card record from the 36-team tournament. The reason behind this proposal is based on fairness, as the red and yellow cards of teams that do not advance to the 18-team tournament will be zeroed out for the Asian Cup qualifiers. If FIFA approves this application, 15 players of China's national soccer team will no longer be affected by yellow cards, which is undoubtedly a huge positive for the team
