The second-placed teams in Groups A, B, E, H and J all had losing records in the tightly-contested competition, making it clear that the upper limit of their results would not be able to surpass our team's record of one win and one draw. In light of this, our team has undoubtedly locked up the second place in the five best groups to advance to the final round of the U17 Asian Cup.
Successfully advancing to the final round is not only an affirmation of our team's strength, but also a solid step towards returning to the U17 World Cup.
Of note, FIFA has made significant changes to the U17 World Cup. From 2025, the tournament will be held annually and the number of participating teams will increase to 48. The increase in the number of places in Asia to nine is undoubtedly good news for soccer teams from Asian countries. By making it to the last eight of the U17 Asian Cup, they will automatically get a ticket to the U17 World Cup. In addition, one more spot will be awarded to the eliminated team with the best performance in the group stage.
Our team will embark on a trip to Saudi Arabia next April for the U17 Asian Cup decider. If they make it to the last eight, they are expected to get a ticket to the U17 World Cup. Even if they fail to make it out of the group stage, they will have a chance to qualify even if they are ranked ninth, as long as they seize the opportunity to win a game at a crucial moment.
