In the Asian Cup 1/8 final in the early hours of January 29, Tajikistan, ranked only 106th, after extra time and a thrilling penalty shootout, finally reversed the higher-ranked UAE team with a total score of 6-4, a feat that makes Tajikistan for the first time among the top eight of the Asian Cup.
Tajikistan was the first to break the deadlock in the first half. Had it not been for the UAE's precision reading in extra time, Tajikistan could have sealed the win even earlier. Despite the challenge, Tajikistan's players showed their determination.
Going into extra time, both sides were losing stamina and in the penalty shootout, Tajikistan's goalkeeper Yatimov played heroically to parry a shot from UAE's third player Kanedo, while the UAE side could not withstand a strong onslaught from Tajikistan.
With Tajikistan's advancement, the Chinese men's soccer team in a foreign country has once again become the focus of netizens' discussion. Some netizens quipped: "Tajikistan has made it to the last eight, and host Qatar will naturally have no problem making it to the last eight. 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 already beaten Tajikistan, which is in the top eight of the Asian Cup, relying on Zhu Chenjie's controversial goal, which is really delightful!" : "The third place of men's soccer team is instantly enhanced": "Yankovic said that Tajikistan is strong, but we were laughed at. Won't the national soccer team repeat the mistake of the 2002 World Cup, with one winner and one third in the same group of opponents?"
Despite the flirting, we have to admit that even Tajikistan, the least favored nation, proved the remarkable progress of their national soccer with their outstanding performance in this Asian Cup. Perhaps the Chinese men's soccer team should really reflect and work hard to improve themselves so as not to refresh their humiliating lowest ranking again in the next Asian Cup.
