On November 17, 2022, on the stage of the second round of the Chinese FA Cup, Wuhan Sanzhen successfully advanced to the next round with a 5-1 victory over Dandong Tengyue. The victory saw young trainer Xia Xiaoxi make his debut on the first team line, earning praise from the club and head coach Pedro for his performance. Xia Xiaoxi showed amazing talent in passing the ball, while substitute Ren Xiqing also contributed a goal.
San Zhen played in a 442 formation and Xia Xiaoxi made his debut for the first team as a left back, which was an extremely precious moment in his career. Xia Xiaoxi said he was both nervous and full of expectations for his first first-team match, and that Coach Pedro's encouragement gave him the courage to play boldly.
Wuhan Sanzhen, a soccer club with its roots in youth training, has joined hands with the Wuhan Sports Bureau and the Football Association to launch the "Overseas Star Training" program. Since 2015, 107 young players have gone to Spain to receive professional soccer training, Xia Xiaoxi, Ren Xiqing and Lin Kejun are the best of them, who embarked on a soccer journey to Spain in 2015, 2016 and 2018 respectively. In the past five years, nearly 20 Sanzhen youth players have been selected for national teams at all levels, with goalkeeper Liu Shaoziyang becoming FC Bayern Munich's first Chinese player last year.
In the early part of the game, Xia Xiaoxi created opportunities for his teammates by calmly dribbling in the face of Dandong's defense. In the 35th minute, he broke the deadlock for his team with a successful steal. Although his shot was blocked, Xia Xiaoxi's performance in the second half was even more eye-catching. In the 56th minute, he broke through the defense in a quick counterattack and scored a crucial goal for Sanzhen, extending the score to 3-0.
After the match, Xia Xiaoxi expressed his gratitude to the club and coaches and looked forward to making more progress in future matches. Xia Xiaoxi was replaced in the second half, while Lin Kejun also got a chance to play. Xia Xiaoxi's debut in the first team ended with a goal and an assist. Talking about the interaction with the first team players, Xia Xiaoxi said he felt the warmth and support of the team.
In the final stage of the game, Ren Xiqing came on as a substitute and continued to add to the team's offensive line. He not only showed great strength on the pitch, but also recognized his performance after the game. 85 minutes in, Ren Xiqing received a pass from a teammate and calmly sent the ball into the opponent's goal, adding another point for Sanzhen.
Coach Pedro especially praised the three young players in the post-match press conference and emphasized the club's persistence and commitment to youth training. The results of Sanzhen's youth training are gradually appearing, and the future of young players such as Xia Xiaoxi, Ren Xiqing and Lin Kejun is full of expectations.
