At noon on October 9, 2023, in the 3rd round of Group G of the 20th U17 Asian Cup Qualifier, China's U17 National Junior Team and Australia started a fierce battle at the Sports City Stadium in Shepperton, Australia. The final whistle blew and our team was defeated by 1-3, with 10 players completing the grueling process of the match.
Early on in the match, our team showed strength as Ilan Kunda created a penalty kick in the 7th minute and successfully scored to give our team the first goal. However, the Aussies were not discouraged and in the 24th minute, Sun Kangbo gave away another penalty kick, but Hartley failed to capitalize on it. Our team then equalized in the 25th minute when Wang Yudong scored off a corner kick assisted by Kang Hua. In the second half, Ilan Kunda scored twice in the 65th minute with an individual effort to give Australia another goal. In the 70th minute, Pizzio took an assist from Irankunda to widen the gap. In the end, Australia beat our team 3-1, leading Group G with 9 points from 3 matches, followed by our team with 6 points from 2 matches.
Looking back at the first two rounds of the tournament, our team defeated Cambodia and the Northern Mariana Islands by scores of 9-0 and 11-0, while Australia defeated the Northern Mariana Islands and Cambodia by scores of 23-0 and 10-0. Our team is 13 goals behind Australia and will have to beat their opponents in order to advance directly in the group stage. Whether they can advance to the final stage as second in the group is yet to be confirmed.
In this match, the four of our U17 National Junior Team, Liu Tiecheng, Wu Qipeng, Huang Kaijun and Zhang Haojie, continued to start, and head coach Yang Chen returned to the starting lineup. For Australia, McLachlan, Dovison and Hartley rotated for Talladilla, Quintal and Grayson.
[Highlights - In the 6th minute, Ilan Kunda was given the chance to take a penalty kick after Sun Kangbo's put down, and he took the penalty himself a minute later, with our team trailing 0-1. - In the 10th minute, Hartley shot inside the penalty area, Xie Gongbo clearance success. - In the 12th minute, Kuai Jiwen curved ball shot, Pavlesic dive to save. - In the 15th minute, and Kanghua left side of the penalty area shot, Pavlesic blocked out. - In the 19th minute, Wang Yudong shot, Pavlesic easily get. - In the 21st minute, Wang Yudong faced the goalkeeper and Pavlesic blocked the shot. - In the 23rd minute, Hartley scuffed his header and Sun Kangbo was fouled for handball, our team got another penalty kick opportunity, but Hartley missed the penalty kick. - In the 25th minute, Wang Yudong scored from a corner kick by Kanghua, and our team equalized. - In the 33rd minute, Ilankunda took a free kick and the goalkeeper got it easily. - In the 35th minute, Dovison shot a one-touch goal, Xie Gongbo once again. - In the first minute of stoppage time, Antonio shot at the goal, Xie Gongbo blocked the line. - In the 50th minute, Choi Tae-wook was red carded for a foul, our team 10 to 11. - In the 65th minute, Ilan Kunda scored twice, Australia 2-1 lead. - In the 70th minute, Pizzio received an assist from Ilankunda, and our team fell behind 1-3. - In the 77th minute, the Australian team shot at the goal, Xie Gongbo saved successfully. - The 85th minute, Wang Haobin header broke the goal, but offside in the first, the goal is invalid.
In the end, Australia beat our team 3-1, and our team, which finished with 10 men, was defeated.
[Both sides' formations Australia (433): 1 - Pavlesic; 3 - Phillips, 4 - Lebib, 14 - Parkes (61'21 - Talladilla), 2 - Antonio; 13 - MacLachlan, 8 - Sutherland, 10 - Pizzio; 17 - Irankunda (81'16 - Pearman), 9 - Hartley (30 ' 19-Grayson), 20-Dovison; Subs not played: 5-Smith, 6-Calms, 7-Quintal, 11-Gulas, 12-Anthony, 15-Jesus, 18-Hofsrut, 22-Herrington, 23-Dunbar.
China (343): 22 - Xie Gongbo; 16 - Liu Tiecheng, 3 - Wu Qipeng, 2 - Sun Kangbo; 8 - Huang Kaijun, 19 - Kuai Jiwen, 23 - Lai Ming (73'6 - Qian Yuanfan), 7 - Cui Taixu; 15 - Zhang Haojie (79'9 - Liu Chengyu), 10 - Wang Yudong, 17 - He Kanghua (46 '11-Wang Haobin); Unattached substitutes: 1 - Yao Hao Yang, 4 - Kim Sung Min, 5 - Chen Le Yun, 12 - He Jian Qiu, 13 - Yang Bo Wen, 14 - Mei Shuai Jun, 18 - Min Xian Kun, 20 - Ouyang Jia Xin, 21 - Yu Zhuo Wei.
