In the 1997 Asian Top Ten, Chinese soccer experienced a thrilling battle, Kuwait was at its peak, but suffered Waterloo in the hands of the Chinese team.
That year, the Chinese team became the fourth opponent in the top ten of the World Qualifying Tournament when they challenged Kuwait on the road. In the 89th minute of the match, Gao Feng got the ball inside on the right and fired a precise left-footed shot for a brilliant finish, which turned the Chinese team against Kuwait 2-1, accumulating seven points from the first four rounds of the tournament with two wins, one draw and one loss. Although the 1997 national soccer team was highly regarded, it finally ranked third in the group with 3 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses, and regretted not being able to set foot on the soil of France.
Jump forward in time to 2001, when Li Wei Feng drew with Qatar in the Top Ten, a moment seen as a turning point in the fortunes of the national soccer team. After two consecutive victories in the Top Ten, China was 0-1 down in Qatar away from home, and a defeat could have put their opponents back on top. At the crucial moment, Qi Hong kicked off a free kick and Li Weifeng's header magically leveled the score, giving China a valuable point. Qi Hong scored three goals and provided a key assist in the Top 10 match, and Li Wei Feng then broke his goal drought for the first time in the Uzbekistan match. Since then, China has been on a roll, locking up the top spot two rounds ahead of schedule with five wins and a draw, and successfully advancing to the World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
Zhao Xuri's goal against Turkey in the group stage of the 2005 World Youth Championship was probably the most glorious moment for the Chinese national team in the international arena. The Chinese national youth team led by Samuel Klausen won all three matches, and Zhao Xuri scored against Turkey in the 95th minute from a corner kick by Artem Junmin to complete the shutout with an overhead world wave, a moment of unforgettable passion.
In the group stage of the 2008 Olympic Games, Dong Fangzhuo drew with New Zealand. Although the goal only brought one point for the Chinese Olympic team, it was the only goal scored by the Chinese men's soccer team at the Olympics, as Dong Fangzhuo scored with a header in the 87th minute to put the goal in the history of Chinese soccer.
In the 2013 Asian Qualifiers, Yu Dabao scored a stunning goal against Iraq in Changsha in the 93rd minute from a corner kick in the pouring rain to help China qualify for the 2015 Asian Cup. Four years later, Yu made an even more miraculous achievement against South Korea in Changsha.
In 2020, Wu Lei completed an emphatic draw against Barcelona, a moment that was not only a glory for Chinese soccer, but also the pinnacle of Wu Lei's individual career.In 2021, Wu Lei retained China's only win of the tournament by defeating Vietnam in the last twelve.
Zhang Yuning completed the shutout at home against Bahrain in the 2024 Top Eight, helping China rekindle their hopes after three consecutive defeats with this 2-1 victory. After two consecutive victories, China have six points and are tied with Australia and Saudi Arabia in the group standings.
Chinese soccer has had far more than its fair share of shutout moments, with China's women's soccer team killing Wei Haiying in the semifinals of the 1996 Olympics and Xiao Yuyi killing South Korea from close range in the final of the 2022 Asian Cup. In the Chinese Super League and AFC Champions League, there were also kill moments from players such as Zheng Zhi, Shao Jia, Artemisia Jun Min, Wu Lei, Ramirez, Fellaini and Jadson. These shutout moments will inspire Chinese soccer to keep moving forward and never give up.
