At the end of the golden month of August, there were waves in the Chinese soccer world. Renowned media personality Ching Man Lei has sent news from Vietnam, revealing that Coach Troussier will lead the Chinese men's soccer team to embark on two friendly matches in October, aiming to warm up for the World Cup qualifiers. However, the exact time and place of the matches are still a mystery. What is certain is that the matches will be held in China against Vietnam, China and Central Asian rivals Uzbekistan.
In addition to Vietnam, the national soccer team will also face a direct challenge from Uzbekistan. For this matchup, Vietnam is seen as a simulation of Thailand, while Uzbekistan plays the role of South Korea. The tactical styles of these two teams are quite similar to China's group opponents. Vietnam's tempo is similar to Thailand's, while Uzbekistan has a significant advantage in terms of intensity, speed and advancement.
The matches against these opponents are of great significance for the national soccer team. However, many voices point out that the match against Vietnam may not be an easy win. Compared to the days when they played against Southeast Asian teams two decades ago, the national soccer team needs to work harder to win three points nowadays.
Pessimism abounds, but it's not for nothing. As in yesterday's match against Batang United, Chinese Super League champions Shanghai Port were defeated 2-3. Thailand's Lionel Messi, Sung Klaasin, was a constant threat on the wing, breaking through and passing the ball to the Chinese backline. The goals scored by the foreigners gave the opponents the upper hand.
Such a performance is enough to prove that the national soccer team's warm-up match against Vietnam has real-world significance. We should give our best to win the match and have confidence in the future. Let's not forget that we lost 1-3 against them in the World Cup qualifier earlier this year, so what kind of spirit will the national soccer team show 18 months later? It will be of great comparative value.
The supporters and coaching staff of the national soccer team are well aware that if they fail to pick up all six points in their two World Cup qualifying matches against Thailand, the criticism will be overwhelming. Isn't that what Fan Zhiyi predicted back then? In that case, I'm afraid the dark times are far from over for Chinese soccer.
The head coach of the national soccer team, Jankovic, naturally understands the seriousness of the problem. He is doing his best to tap the potential of naturalized players and select Chinese super talents in an effort to improve the team's overall strength. He is also carefully arranging friendly matches against Vietnam and Uzbekistan. After all, with the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams in 2026, there is no need to say anything if we fail to enter the World Cup circuit.
