On March 17, China's U20 women's soccer team achieved a complete success in the first phase of the Asian Cup qualifying tournament with a 3-0, 3-0, 8-0 record. To meet the challenge of the second phase of the qualifying tournament in June, the team plans to start its third training session in 2023.U20 women's soccer team captain Wang Siqian and team member Lu Jiayu talked about their soccer dreams in an interview with Oriental Sports Daily.
Captain Wang Siqian talks about her role and transformation.
Wang Siqian recalls that she began her love of soccer in first grade, a choice inspired by her older sister, Wang Linlin. Wang Linlin is four years older than Wang Siqian and is now an international player for the Chinese women's soccer team.
When the coach awarded the captain's armband to Wang Siqian, she felt a great responsibility. "National team captains are different from local captains, with heavier responsibilities and higher spiritual requirements. During matches, I am more of a mentor to my teammates and even boost morale when the situation is unfavorable. I feel I have become more mature." Wang Siqian said.
Talking about the U20 Asian Cup, Wang Siqian is looking forward to getting a workout on the defensive end, "The opponents are not strong, but we still need to improve our defensive capabilities. I hope to achieve good results in the Asian Cup and prepare for the higher level stage."
Forward Lu Jiayu talks about dreams and breakthroughs
Lu Jiayu shone in the tournament in February, scoring consecutive goals to help the U20 women's soccer team break through. In the Asian Cup qualifiers, she scored twice in the first match and again in the second match.
Regarding individual performances, Lujayu believes that the team effort was crucial. "We prepared well for the game and analyzed the opponent carefully, so we always took the initiative in attacking. Our passing and coordination were well coordinated, and our ability to take chances in front of the goal was excellent."
Looking back at last year's U17 Women's World Cup death panel, Lu Jiayu realized the gap with the world's top athletes, "We focused more on learning, our opponents played for the top clubs in Europe. Through the matches, we learned their techniques." This may have inspired Lu Jiayu's desire to study abroad, "I hope to have the opportunity to go abroad in the future and see a higher level league."
