The flames of the 1/8 final of the Asian Cup were finally extinguished on January 29th as the morning sun dawned in Beijing. Tajikistan, ranked 106th in the world, eliminated the top four UAE from the tournament with a thrilling 6-4 scoreline after a thrilling extra time and a brutal penalty shootout, advancing to the last eight of the Asian Cup in a historic way.
The climax of the match started in the first half when Tajikistan knocked on the door first. Had it not been for the UAE's precise control of the clock in the crucial extra time, Tajikistan could have sealed the win even earlier. Despite the setback, Tajikistan's players remained resilient.
Going into extra time, physicality gradually became the key for both sides. In the penalty shootout, all five Tajikistan shot-stoppers were met by the opposing goalkeepers, while the UAE's third penalty taker, Kanedo, conceded under pressure, with Tajikistan's goalkeeper, Yatimov, staging a brilliant save.
With Tajikistan's place in the final eight settled, the Chinese men's soccer team, which has already embarked on its return journey, has once again triggered heated discussions among netizens. One person joked: "Tajikistan is among the top eight, host Qatar beat Palestine is also logical. If there are two top eight teams in the same group, the Chinese men's soccer team's exit seems reasonable!"
Some netizens even teased: "It seems that the national soccer team has 'beaten' Tajikistan in the last eight of the Asian Cup, with Zhu Chenjie's controversial goal, which is 'brilliant' enough. ''The gold content of the national soccer team's third place instantly soared'' ''Jankovic: I said Tajikistan is strong, and you guys are still laughing at me'' ''Won't the national soccer team repeat the tragedy of the 2002 World Cup, with the same group of opponents a champion and a third?'"
Despite the irony in the joke, we have to admit that even Tajikistan, recognized as a soccer underdog, has shown rapid progress in its national soccer with its performance in this year's Asian Cup. Perhaps the Chinese men's soccer team really needs to reflect and try to catch up, otherwise the shameful ranking of the next Asian Cup may hit a new low.
