Soccer Review
As the night drew low, the Chinese men's soccer team took on Vietnam and finished with a strong response at home with a score of 2:0. Looking back to last year's World Qualifier, China lost 1:3 to Vietnam on the road and that loss is etched in our memories like a brand. For the first time in the history of Vietnamese soccer, Vietnam won in the qualifying round of 12, while China became the embarrassing "score boy". Although many people point out that many of the players in the Vietnamese team are young, it is not difficult to realize that the figures from last year's World Cup are still active in today's game. In the current Vietnam team, although the overall tactics still need to be honed, these young players will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the Chinese team's journey to the 2026 World Cup.
In both the first and second halves of the match, the Chinese team showed their tenacious fighting spirit. The joy of victory naturally overflowed, however, the poor performance of the three players also triggered strong dissatisfaction among the fans, calling for their departure from the team. If these three newcomers are used in the preliminaries, I am afraid that the future of the Chinese team is in doubt.
First, captain Wu Xi's performance was a disaster. He was replaced at half-time. The statistics of the first half show that his six turnovers were the most in the team. The defensive midfielder failed three times in aerial confrontations and failed to play a positive role for China in either offense or defense, instead creating opportunities for the opponents. His performance was arguably the worst of the match, and he played with China's standard lineup.
Veteran Tan Long's performance has not been ideal either. Although he is still favored by the national team even though he is over 30 years old, it is clear that his physical condition is not what it used to be. Despite his best efforts on the field, his effect was minimal. Against the young Vietnamese defenders, Tan Long had nothing to offer in the penalty area. His most threatening shot of the game came from outside the box, which made people expect him to play a more important role inside the box.
Finally, Fang Hao's appearance was a surprise. The player, who is not a consistent starter in the Chinese Super League, was given his debut in this game. In fact, the Chinese team has more outstanding players on the side, such as Beijing Guoan's Gao Tianyi and Wuhan's CSL champion Wei Shihao, whose roles are obviously bigger than Fang Hao's. Obviously, Fang Hao's overall strength is not yet at the level of a national team starter.
The above three players, whether it is the level, competitive state, or attitude, are no longer suitable for the Chinese team. Therefore, in the preliminaries, the Chinese team should decisively carry out a drastic reform. The national team list has changed nine players with remarkable effect. In the future, the change will be more drastic, eliminating more players who are not suitable for the national team.
