With the addition of overage players Wu Xi, Zhang Linpeng and Zhang Yuning, the 1999-born U23 national football team's preparations for the Asian Games in Hangzhou have accelerated, and the team will play an intense warm-up match against Changchun Yatai in Haikou on April 24, the day the quarantine period ends. The U23 national football team is unable to play abroad or invite foreign teams to China under the epidemic, but the Football Association has considered ceding international match days from May 30 to June 14 to professional leagues. The team is expected to regroup around July 10 to prepare for the East Asian Cup.
On April 20, three current national football starters, Wu Xi, Zhang Linpeng and Zhang Yuning, officially joined the U23 national football team. They will play as overage players and strive to make a difference in the Hangzhou Asian Games men's soccer tournament. Together with the previously drafted Han Jiaqi, Wu Shaocong and Jiang Shenglong, the team's main framework has taken shape.
At the strong request of Jankovic, the FA has arranged a warm-up match for the U23 national soccer team. The team will play against Changchun Yatai on the morning of the 24th. Jankovic expects the team to have more quality warm-ups before the start of the Asian Games, and the East Asian Cup has become a warm-up stage for the U23s after the national soccer team failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
The international match days scheduled from May 30 to June 14 could not be played due to the epidemic. The FA is considering ceding this period to the professional leagues so that the Chinese Super League and Chinese League A can run smoothly. Currently, the East Asian Cup is the only warm-up tournament for the U23s, which will be held from July 19 to 27 in Japan. The team plans to regroup around July 10 and travel to Japan for the tournament after a week of domestic training.
While the regulations, teams and group draws for the Hangzhou Asian Games men's soccer tournament have yet to be finalized, the coordination of the league's preparation schedule with that of the U23 national football team will require further consultation.
