Ends on the evening of the 9th BST.
In the group stage of the u20 Asian Cup.
u20 national football team 1:Kyrgyzstan.
Successful exit from the "Group of Death".
Photo credit: Screenshot from the AFC website
This after 9 years, the U20 national soccer team.
Once again, we are in the u20 Asian Cup knockout rounds.
Regarding the National Youth Football Team's return to the lineup after a nine-year hiatus.
Are there nine things you need to know? ↓
1. What is the game and what team are we?
This is the u20 Asian Cup, which can also be called the Asian Youth Championship. China u20 national youth, the head coach is the Spaniard Antonio. Most of the players were born in 2003, and nearly half were born in 2004 (Antonio was the coach of the 2004 national youth team). The leader is former international player Shao Jiayi, and one of the assistant coaches is former international player Du Zhenyu.
2. Is it worth celebrating the lineout?
Certainly worth celebrating! A group exit is equivalent to a place in the last 8 of this year's Asian Youth Championship - the last time the national youth team made it to the last 8, or the 2014 Myanmar Asian Youth Championship nine years ago. The 95-96 age group, with Wei Shihao at the center of the attack, also struggled to get out of the Group of Death (2:1 Japan, 0:0 South Korea, 1:1 Vietnam), losing to Qatar in the quarterfinals. Since then, the national youth teams have been eliminated at the group stage in two Asian Youth Championships in 2016 and 2018.The 2020 Asian Youth Championship was canceled due to an epidemic (the national youth championships did not make it to the final stage), and this year's Asian Youth Championships have once again broken out of the Group of Death to advance to the last eight in a gratifying way.
3. What is the strength of the National Youth League?
At the spiritual level, the whole team is united, unity of thought, three group games scene equally passive, but under pressure to clench the teeth of the spirit does not avalanche, the field to the last minute and did not slacken; at the tactical level, to firmly implement the "weak to win the strong" is the only option to recognize their own positioning, tighten the fence defense, dare to put in counterattacks! Troops in pursuit of victory.
4. What is the weakness of the National Youth League?
"Reaching the quarterfinals" does not equate to a "strong team". Individuals are not strong and only 2-3 will reach the adult national team level in the future. Insufficient accuracy in teamwork. For a long time, we have been able to use "defensive counterattacks" against strong Asian teams. Although the "defensive counterattack" tactic itself is not backward, but the national youth team and the Asian powerhouse team there is a clear strength gap is also a fact.
5. Everyone was not optimistic about the team's performance before the trip, and some fans wondered why the "strongest player" in this age group, He Xiao Ke, was not selected.
Currently, He Xiao Ke is playing for Sabadell in the Spanish third division. Our reporter listened to the team's detailed answer to this question. The reason why He Xiao Ke did not get Antonio's recognition, there are three reasons: First, "Antonio absolutely does not need the player he thinks he has an attitude problem"; Second, "his actual level is far from reaching the essential level of this team"; Third Third, "the overall mentality of the team, including the other players, has not changed since he left the practice squad."
6. Has the group reached its stated goal?
Getting out of the group is only the first step in accomplishing the goal, and the next quarterfinal is the toughest test of all - the winner of the Asian Youth Championship quarterfinal will qualify for the World Youth Championships, which will be held in Indonesia in May this year. In other words, winning the quarterfinals and earning a ticket to the World Youth Championships is cause for celebration, otherwise there will be only the usual "Asian Youth Championships Quarterfinals" stamp.
7. Who is the opponent for the next game? How does it compare to Japan, who we've already played?
National Youth Football League quarterfinal opponent is Korea National Youth Football League. On Sunday at 18:00 BST, the National Youth will challenge the Korean National Youth at the stadium where Kyrgyzstan drew. Judging from South Korea's performance in the group stage, they have not lost their practical ability to Japan at least, and they still have a lot of self-confidence as they can easily change their multiple starters through each game in the group stage.
8. Is it possible to beat South Korea?
Of course there is! Strength comparisons are only part of the factors that determine a win, just as the national youth, including many experts, didn't think the national youth could 2. : 0 defeat Saudi Arabia. On the pitch, there will always be unexpected situations, which is the real charm of soccer.
9, Can we look forward to the World Youth Championships?
Absolutely! There are already 20 teams in this year's World Junior Championships, with only 4 teams advancing from the Asian Junior Championships. The 4 teams in the South American zone are Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay. There is no Argentina, and the 5 teams in the European Zone are England, France, Israel, Italy and Slovakia, with no Germany, Spain or Netherlands. China's national youth team last participated in the World Youth Championships in the Netherlands in 2005. The 85-year-old national youth team led by Klausen lost 1/8 to Germany and finished 10th out of 16 teams.
