In a stormy July 10th, China's women's soccer team's 22-player roster for the Tokyo Olympics was officially unveiled, just two weeks before their first group game against Brazil's women's soccer team. When the list was revealed, people couldn't help but feel both surprised and puzzled. The list is a rollercoaster of changes, and it's hard to keep track of. Among them, there are eight players who have not participated in the Olympic qualifying playoffs with South Korea, which includes the main players such as Ma Jun and Tang Jiali, as well as Lou Jiahui, Yao Wei, Yao Lingwei and other important players who have served as starters in various stages of the Olympic qualifying tournaments.
There were fewer changes in the forward and backline, with Tang Jiali replaced by Uri Gumura and veteran Lou Jiahui replaced by Wang Ying, who had been named to the 2019 Women's World Cup roster. The midfield position has seen the most significant changes, retaining Zhang Xin, Wang Frost and Li Qingtong, with Zhang Xin and Wang Frost being the mainstays, while Li Qingtong has had few chances to play. The new additions of Wang Yan, Miao Shiwen and Yang Lina, as well as six young players, including Wang Yanwen, Liu Jing and Jin Kun, have reduced the average age of China's women's soccer team from 26.4 years old to 25.8 years old.
As for the goalkeeper, Peng Shimeng of Jiangsu women's soccer team is undoubtedly the first choice of our women's soccer team. Despite being only 23 years old, Peng Shimeng has already accumulated a wealth of experience in major competitions. In the 2019 Women's World Cup, she started all three group matches, performed steadily, and was named the best player of the match in the third tournament. In the Tokyo Olympics qualifiers, Peng Shimeng was even a hardcore starter, especially when she pounced on the opposing team's shot in the battle for survival.
On the defensive side, captain Wu Haiyan is the leader, and in the 2015 World Cup, at the age of 22, Wu Haiyan took up the responsibility of captain and became the youngest national team captain of China's women's soccer team. She has rich experience in big games and a big heart, and is the indispensable backfield core of China's women's soccer team. Although she was injured a month before the Olympic Games, Jia Xiuquan still included her in the list, which shows the importance of Wu Haiyan, and she is expected to recover as soon as possible and fly in the Olympic Games.
Wang Frost, the flagship star of China's women's soccer team, enjoys great popularity in the country, and her status is comparable to that of Wu Lei in men's soccer.In 2018, Wang Frost was honored with the title of Miss Football Asia, becoming the fourth Miss Football Asia in China's history and causing a stir in Ligue 1. Although her performance in the 2019 World Cup failed to satisfy her countrymen, she performed well in the Olympic qualifiers and became a key contributor to our women's soccer team's advancement to the Olympics. At this stage, Wang Frost has become the face of China's women's soccer team, and her play will be crucial for China's women's soccer team to perform at the Olympics.
Wang Shanshan, the top center forward of China's women's soccer team, has outstanding technical characteristics, showing great physical ability and goal sense in front of the field, and always able to appear in the most critical spots. At the same time, she also has a certain header ability, is the most trustworthy fulcrum of our women's soccer team. Despite her shortcomings in timing, she is the team's big game star as she excels in marshaling and pulling the defense.
Yang Man, the indispensable high center forward of our women's soccer team, is the fulcrum of the team's front field with her tall stature. In terms of corner kicks and free kicks, she is able to enrich the attacking means of our women's soccer team. In the second round of the match against Korea Women's Soccer Team, Yang Man came on as a substitute, became the bridgehead of the team's front field, and scored a key goal for the team.
Attachment: 22-member Olympic roster for our women's soccer team:
Goalkeepers: 1-Juyu, 12-Peng Shimeng, 22-Ding Xuan
Defenders: 2 - Li Mengwen, 3 - Lin Yuping, 5 - Wu Haiyan, 16 - Wang Xiaoxue, 17 - Luo Guiping, Chen Qiaozhu, 19 - Wang Ying
Midfield: 4-Li Qingtong, 6-Zhang Xin, 7-Wang Frost, 8-Yan Wang, 9-Mu Shiwen, 13-Yang Lina, 14-Liu Jing,
Forward: 11-Wang Shanshan, 18-Uri Gumura, 20-Shaw Yuyi, 10-Wang Yanwen, 15-Yang Man
