In a heated showdown that was a matter of victory, defeat and survival, Chinese soccer players bravely took on Vietnam and will next meet Saudi Arabia, who have won all three of their matches.
Against a strong host.
Li Tie (1977-), footballer
How will the coach and his team lay it out? Will they emulate the offensive strategy that defeated Australia, or will they borrow from the defensive tactics used against Japan?
Perhaps the past events of the 1997 Final Ten can provide us with some clues. Remember that year's away match against Saudi Arabia, which was a controversial "draw and win" match.
Li Tie (1977-), footballer
Witnessed this history as a member of the national team.
Late one night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 24 years ago, smoke filled the air as members of the Chinese team's coaching staff were working out their overall tactics in order to beat Saudi Arabia.
The then leader Li Chuanqi recalled afterwards that Gu Mingchang advocated a 451 formation to stabilize the midfield; Jin Zhiyang emphasized defense to ensure that the midfield does not lose; Chen Chengda advocated a 541 formation to strengthen the three center backs to defend and at the same time to strengthen the two wings of the assists ......
However, the core of all the proposals is "not to lose", that is, the strategy of "keeping a draw and fighting for a win", which has been criticized by outsiders.
"Losing would be completely hopeless." Chuanqi Li said, "So, at least make sure you don't lose."
As for why it is not "must win", the coaching team explained afterward that "if you lose again, you will not be able to go back to explain".
Before going to Riyadh, the Chinese team had lost to Qatar at home in Jinzhou, that game, the head coach Qi Wusheng desire three points, but did not expect, after the change of Qatar as if transformed, although the first goal lost a goal, but three consecutive goals, Fan Zhiyi was also Ennazi people ball points, the second half also occurred the famous "change of the
Li Tie (1977-), footballer
"Incidents.
After the loss to Qatar, almost everyone agreed that the next two matches, either away to Saudi Arabia or at home to Kuwait, would have to be all out and then see how the rest of the matches turned out.
In the end, however, the coaching staff set the strategy of "keeping a draw and fighting for a win", and the result was 1-1.
In that match, Saudi Arabia scored less than 4 minutes into the match, but 9 minutes later, China equalized. Behind the 1-1 scoreline, there was actually a hidden agenda, as China had been awarded a penalty kick, but unfortunately, the recently celebrated birthday of the
national soccer team
Captain Fan Zhiyi missed out on the best birthday present ever.
Incredibly, the coaching staff didn't have a punter ahead of time for that game, nor did they have a punting special before the game, when the
national soccer team
Goalkeeping coach and England native Rimmer has long warned that the referee on duty, Elirai, also from England, likes to blow penalties.
In the end, captain Fan Zhiyi took the ball but missed the penalty; Saudi Arabia was then awarded a penalty kick, which was also missed.
Au Chuliang, who was taken out of the starting lineup at home against Qatar, saved the "coaching staff," but not the
national soccer team
, as a frenetic Qatar beat Iran 2-0 at home in the same round.
national soccer team
Early OVER.
"After the game, I realized that it was all over, so many years of playing in the league for nothing, and the preparation work for nothing." Years later, Summit is still sighing.
The 1997 Big Ten Tournament, which is the center
national soccer team
The first shock after the professionalization of the ball
World Cup
The players who make the big bucks want to see it too
World Cup
The elegance of the
soccer league
Also attached great importance, in addition to daily meetings, and even for the first time to take out 2 million, chartered flights to play away games, but in the end, they only bring back a point and an early exit results.
Looking at the final standings, if Fan scores a penalty.
national soccer team
Defeat Saudi Arabia and the score will be the same as theirs, 13 points, although the goal difference is not as good as that of Saudi Arabia, can only be ranked second in the group, can not be directly out of the line, but at least you can salvage the opportunity to play a play-off with the second in Group B, Japan.
Back to the beginning, so what was the coaching staff, which had a huge lineup at the time, really thinking?
"The biggest mistake, in fact, was not taking into account the other games." Li Chuanqi later summarized, "We can get out of the line by winning against Saudi Arabia, was only known later after Iran lost again, but we all kept thinking that Iran would not lose again, this kind of judgment, which caused us to make many mistakes."
In fact, after the 4-2 reversal by Iran in the first game, the Chinese team consciously and voluntarily designed a straight path for others, "and in turn felt more hopeless." Jin Zhiyang said.
Li Chuanqi regrets that the coaching staff didn't realize until 2/3 of the way through the tournament that Iran wasn't as strong as China thought, and that they didn't have much of an advantage over West Asian teams. But Jinzhou that 2-4, has made the
national soccer team
Chill out, 1-4 on the road, but also set up a "mountain" that can not be overcome.
"Without China, Iran can't get out of this group, and without Iran, we are the outsiders of course." Li Chuanqi said. "The seemingly strong Iranian team stirred our hearts into a mess." Kim said.
Over the years, the Chinese
national soccer team
The best thing that the ball can do is to count the points, but sometimes, it is inevitable to make mistakes.
Li Chuanqi has revealed that the coaching staff had a rough estimate of the outgoing score before the 1997 Top 10 tournament, but hindsight proved that they thought wrong, as they only saw Iran and Saudi Arabia, but ignored Qatar and Kuwait.
The biggest spoiler is Qatar, but Kuwait has also beaten Saudi Arabia and drawn Iran at home.
It should be noted that the then
national soccer team
, both the coaching staff and the players have been suffering from a roller coaster ride throughout the Big Ten Tournament.
"In the estimation of the situation, we are always habitually self-defeating." Kim said, "We always insist that others must be 'OK' when we feel that we are 'not OK', and in this way, we carry a heavy psychological burden."
Against Vietnam, the players did not give up, and finally, got the first win of this 12-team tournament, but the public opinion after the game was in an uproar, with a lot of critics and strikers, and disappointment spreading that it was completely hopeless, or, at least, it was hopeless to play Saudi Arabia.
But judging from the three rounds that have been played, this tournament, much like '97, is not entirely in the hands of the strongest teams, and despite the temporary winning streaks of Saudi Arabia and Australia, Japan, who claimed to be overclassed, surprisingly and
national soccer team
Similarly, Oman, also with only three points and considered the weakest in the group, not only dealt a fatal blow to Japan on the road, but also wore Australia down at one point.
Therefore, under the chaotic situation, facing Saudi Arabia, the Chinese team should not give up on themselves, to borrow the words of Li Chuanqi later, "play a good game yourself".
