The vigor and potential of young players are coming into focus on the competitive stage of the new Chinese Super League season. Taking Beijing Guoan team as an example, Fang Hao, Gao Tianyi, Feng Boxuan, Nai Bijiang and other new forces, as well as Huang Zichang and Henan Songshan team's young players, have all delivered remarkable results. At the same time, many clubs have boldly used young lineups in the Central League, and Guangzhou's starting lineup is almost entirely made up of youngsters born in 2003 and 2004, who have proved the power of youth with their outstanding performances.
In the 20th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL), Beijing Guoan hosted Henan Songshan in a match that became a stage for the young players to show their talents. 49-year-old Portuguese coach Ricardo Soares made the Guoan team show their amazing fighting power through strict training. Only in the 4th minute of the game, foreigner Nemanja Kovic opened the first record for Guoan with a wonderful world wave. However, Henan Songshan didn't give up, and four minutes later, Guoan's counterattack was neutralized by Sendishan, and the two sides were locked in a stalemate. Suddenly, the game took a turn for the worse in the 8th minute. Gao Tianyi broke through from the left and Kang Xiangyou caught the ball and shot the ball into the goal, equalizing the score at 1-1. In the 42nd minute, Joseph De Sousa added another goal, sealing the victory for Guoan. In the 84th minute, Fang Hao sent an assist to Ji Zhongguo to complete the breakthrough, and finally Guoan beat Henan Songshan 3-1. It is worth mentioning that Fang Hao and Gao Tianyi, two young players, both contributed key assists. Gao Tianyi, a player born in 1998, helped the national soccer team prepare for the Asian Games in Hangzhou as an overage player. Fang Hao, on the other hand, is a mainstay of the national football team for the Asian Games. The outstanding performance shown by the two of them in the match has undoubtedly added to the confidence of the national football team in competing for honors at the Asian Games. Huang Zichang also got 71 minutes of playing time in this game, although his shot was a little regrettable, but the overall performance was commendable. Guoan and Henan Songshan were evenly matched. Guoan had only 46% of the ball, but still had 19 threats and 10 shots on goal, while Henan Songshan had 42 threats and 16 shots on goal. Guoan's performance on the offensive end was impressive, while Henan Songshan's lack of defense was the main reason for their defeat. Although victory or defeat is not the measure of everything, this matchup allowed the young players to gain valuable experience. The assists of Gao Tianyi and Fang Hao, as well as their presence in the national team, have inspired the young domestic players to move to a higher level. The outstanding performance of the Asian Games players in the Chinese Super League has undoubtedly laid the foundation for the national soccer team to do well in the Asian Games.
