On June 21, the national football team, which has just finished its journey from Sharjah, UAE for the Top 40 tournament, has embarked on its return journey and is now quarantining in Suzhou while preparing for the upcoming Top 12 tournament. In the Football 100 program, Zhang Xizhe shared his experience of scoring against Syria and his outlook for the coming matches.
What is daily life like during isolation?
Zhang Xizhe said, "We have started training, daily life is still quite normal, after all, the league is still continuing, the coaching staff also hope that we can maintain good condition."
Which game in the Top 40 do you feel most satisfied with your performance?
Zhang Xizhe said, "I think the most important thing is that we managed to advance, and the team as a whole played well in such a difficult situation. Of course, the match against Syria is especially important for me."
How did the coaching staff mobilize before the game against Syria?
Zhang Xizhe revealed: "All the players knew that this game was crucial, and we knew that we could advance with a win. Everyone didn't think about the results of the other groups, they all wanted to play the game well. I felt particularly determined soon after the start and everything was in our hands."
Talk about your feelings about scoring against Syria.
Zhang Xizhe recalled, "We practiced high press tactics in the days after the match against the Philippines. We created chances more than once during the game and this time we capitalized on them."
What was your run like during the goal?
Zhang Xizhe confessed, "To be honest, this is the first time I've run a route like this. Because the ball had been developing on the opponent's right side, the moment the ball was broken they had a weak link. I saw that Eickson was on my left, so I ran to the right and created an extra passing point for Wu Lei."
The national team has been doing a good job of pressing up front, is this something that Li Tie has particularly emphasized?
Zhang Xizhe replied, "Yes, the coaching staff does take this very seriously. We practiced the modern way of playing soccer and it needs to be executed consistently by the team."
What is the reason for such a great physical performance by this national team?
Zhang Xizhe said: "I think this year more than the national team did not have a formal game, each training session has physical training, training harder. Li Tie guide also repeatedly emphasized that there must be physical support, without physical fitness can not achieve this tactic."
What's your outlook for the Big 12?
Zhang Xizhe said, "Of course, I've played in the Top 12, but to go farther and make a difference, the opponents must all be above Syria. So we need to give more, deal with more details in the game and not make a single mistake."
What are your expectations for the Big 12?
Zhang Xizhe said, "Actually did not think too much, first wait for the grouping, and then play one by one."
