The domestic soccer scene has been buzzing with activity in recent days, as top teams have been warming up frequently, and both the national team and the national youth team have been going all out to prepare for the upcoming U23 Asian Cup. Despite their success in the Olympic qualifiers, the youth team is aiming higher and knows that the only way to have the last laugh in the upcoming campaign is to keep improving. Coach Cheng Yaodong and his team know that the team's understanding is the key to victory, so they are working tirelessly to improve the understanding between players.
Since October, the national Olympic team's warm-up matches came one after another. In the first match, they encountered veteran rival Guoan, once leading by a goal, but eventually lost 1-2. Despite the setback, the overall performance of the National Olympic team is still remarkable. Immediately afterward, the National Olympic team competed against the slightly less powerful Jinmen Tigers, who ranked in the middle of the league and should not be underestimated. However, with the top U23 players in the country, the National Olympic team had the upper hand thanks to their unity and the tacit understanding from long-term training. Coach Cheng Yaodong is full of confidence and expects his team to win. However, in a three-quarter match, the Jinmen Tigers were no longer willing to be a coach, and the two sides fought fiercely in the midfield. Jinmen Tigers are known for their circuitous tactics and are not eager to attack. Although the National Olympic team attacked aggressively, there were frequent loopholes in the defense, which led to the Tsimshatsui Tigers' successive victories, and finally beat the National Olympic team by 5-2. The result of this game was unexpected and Jinmen Tigers played a cold game. Coach Yu Genwei also helped his players to adjust their condition through the warm-up matches. The National Olympic team added practical drills in the penalty kicks session in a bid to get the goalkeeper's touch back. Despite losing two consecutive warm-up matches in just three days against Chinese Super League teams, the coaching staff of Cheng Yaodong did not get discouraged, and still hoped that the players would accumulate experience in the matches and select the best starting lineup. Although the national Olympic team has suffered consecutive defeats, the warm-up matches are still going on. Cheng Yaodong's coaching staff plans to complete at least 20 matches by April 2024 to provide more workout opportunities for the players with a view to selecting the best lineup in the tournament.
