U17 Women's Soccer Asia Cup Preparation Report
On May 3, hot off the heels of the U17 Women's Soccer Asia Cup, Soccer Daily revealed that the coaching staff and players are aiming for the title.
On the night of April 30, China's U17 women's football team took Guangzhou as a starting point for their journey to Bali, Indonesia, to build up their strength for the upcoming 2024 U17 Women's Football Asian Cup, which will begin on May 7 with their first match against Australia. Facing the challenge of the championship, Australian skipper Van Egmond was outspoken.
A total of eight teams are competing in the event, including hosts Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, China, South Korea, Australia, Thailand and the Philippines. The top three teams will advance to the Women's World Junior Championship to be held Oct. 16-Nov. 3 in the Dominican Republic. China is in Group B with Japan, Australia and Thailand.
Van Egmond said, "We are in the sprint phase, with the first training in Kunming at the beginning of the year, where I focused on getting to know each player. We then honed our tactics at the National Championships in Suzhou. The acclimatization training in Haikou and Guangzhou allowed the players to improve in real life. We want to prepare the players technically and tactically for the first match, both physically and mentally. Our goal is Indonesia, to compete for the title, and Chinese soccer deserves something in return. We want to play aggressive soccer and show the spirit of women's soccer."
Players come from Shanghai, Shandong, Beijing, Jiangsu and Guangdong, such as Chen Rui, Song Yu and Zhang Keliang, each with their own strengths. Beijing defender Chen Rui, who idolizes Wang Shanshan, excitedly said, "This is my first time to represent the national team abroad, and with the coaching team's unanimous pursuit of the championship, we are full of confidence."
Shaanxi side forward Li Yuhan, who is incredibly fast, said, "We want to play well at the Asian Junior Championships, hit the World Junior Championships, and fight for the women's soccer team. In the future, I hope to join the Women's Super League and love watching men's soccer games, especially Mbappe's games."
Cheng Haitang, who went from Evergrande Soccer School to Guangdong Women's Soccer Team, deeply admires the fighting spirit of her senior sister Zhang Linyan and hopes to compete for a major position in the Asian Youth Championship. Liu Jingwen of Dongguan's Machong School Football, although a late addition to the team, enjoys the good team atmosphere and feels the progress every day.
