Although the Chinese women's soccer team failed to qualify for the Asian Games women's soccer finals, the journey has not come to an end. According to the schedule, we will be competing with Uzbekistan for the third and fourth place honors. Even though we are not in the running for the title, as the hosts, we still need to do well with the limited resources we have. Even in the third and fourth place finals, the Chinese women's soccer team is aiming to win the third place honor and keep the minimum threshold of the top three. Coach Shui Qingxia's position is therefore secure for the time being.
Despite the limited strength of the U.S. team, ranked only ninth in Asia, the Chinese women's soccer team must not take the enemy lightly, in case the cooked duck flies away. It is worth mentioning that the team lineup was downsized before the third-place game, and Shen Mengyu and Zhang Linyan, two study abroad leaders, quit the national team in advance. They had communicated with the management before leaving the team and received consent. At the same time, the Shui Qingxia coaching team also assessed the strength of the opponent. The two teams had met in the group stage, when the Chinese team won with a 6-goal advantage, so we are confident of a victory.
Shen Mengyu has now missed two rounds of the Scottish Women's Premier League and her place in the starting line-up is not yet secure. She is eager to return and hopes to feature in Celtic's game against Motherwell on October 8, as well as prepare for the marquee clash with Glasgow City. Zhang Linyan, meanwhile, has joined Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur to begin the process of reporting to her new owners. Due to the club's new franchise, she has to complete the process of medical examination, welcome ceremony, training, etc., and only after the coaching staff's approval will she have the chance to make her debut. According to the Premier League schedule, Tottenham will play Bristol Women's Football Team on October 8, and Zhang Linyan may be absent and will make her debut in the third round at the earliest. Her outstanding performance in the Asian Games will also help her to quickly integrate into her new club.
It's worth noting that many fans are concerned about the amount of time Shui Qingxia's coaching staff has given Shen Mengyu. Shen Mengyu was only given 10 minutes of playing time despite showing strength in the SU Women's Super League. In fact, Shen Mengyu is another member of Celtic's Chinese national team and has also performed well in the league. However, she failed to get a call-up, showing that China's women's soccer team is in dire need of the inevitable change of the old and the new.
