In the afternoon of July 27, Hangzhou Asian Games soccer grouping draw was unveiled, China's soccer team with Bangladesh, Myanmar and India in the same area. Ma Dexing analysis pointed out that the draw did not highlight the advantages of the host. To break into the Asian Games semifinals, the national soccer team needs to pass South Korea first.
Our 99-year-old U24 Asian Games team looks to be in a better group, with Bangladesh, Myanmar and India. Considering the overall strength of our team, coupled with the fact that the average age of the players is two years older than their opponents, getting out of the group looked like a nail in the coffin. However, behind the seemingly simple draw, there are actually dark currents.
Before the Asian Games men's football group draw, the organizing committee and the AFC had already planned the knockout stage of the showdown. Usually, as the host, the group draw will "do some tricks", trying to avoid strong opponents, reduce the pressure of competition in the region. For example, South Korea was undoubtedly the favorite to win the Asian Games men's soccer tournament, so it made sense to put them into groups in different halves of the draw to avoid meeting them before the quarterfinals or semifinals. However, as fate would have it, the draw resulted in China and South Korea being placed in the same half of the draw.
According to the match planning before the draw, if our team wins the top of the group, we will play the third place of the group in the 1/8 final. As there are four best third places in each group in addition to the top two to advance to the knockout rounds, our team, after winning the first group, may be able to finish third in the second, third or fourth group and advance to the last eight. However, in the eight-to-four semifinals, our team will face the top seed of Group V.
In view of this, although our country as the host, but this draw actually announced the loss of men's soccer, the host advantage is gone. Even if the South Korean team into four or six groups, the knockout situation is established, the South Korean team may still be drawn into the lower half of the situation is very different.
