On March 23, a warm-up match was played in the port, where the national soccer team shook hands with New Zealand 0-0 on the road. In the marquee match, center back Wei Zhen made his debut in the national team's A-grade game, and his solid performance helped the team withstand the opponent's attack. After the match, Wei Zhen reviewed his debut in an interview with Sports Weekly.
--First Nationals Class A experience
Wei Zhen confessed, "This was the first game for the new national team, and for me it was also the start of my national team career. There were nerves, but once the game started, I quickly got into the swing of things and was fully focused on the game itself."
--Preview of the debut
Talking about his debut, Wei Zhen said: "I do have some expectations, but I did not dwell on it too much. Since the national team needs me, I will go all out and show my strength. Ready to do my best for the national team in every game."
--Overall feelings about the game
Wei Zhen commented, "Today's game was of a very high standard and the opponent was not bad. We strictly implemented the tactical arrangements of the coach and showed a tenacious fighting spirit. Unfortunately, we missed some good opportunities and failed to win."
--Individual performance and regrets
Talking about his individual performance, Wei Zhen said modestly, "It feels pretty good, but there are still regrets. We didn't win this game, so I hope we can make a breakthrough in the next game."
-Strategies for coping with a strong enemy
Regarding the difficulty of the next game, Wei Zhen is full of confidence: "In fact, we are fully prepared for this game. The opponent's striker Wood is from the English Premier League, and I am very much looking forward to playing with him. Now, I am looking forward to the next game and hope to have more performance opportunities."
--The secret to boosting self-confidence
Wei Zhen said, "National team matches are very different from club matches and playing for my country makes me feel proud. My self-confidence has been boosted after today's game."
--Differences between national team and club play
Wei Zhen elaborated further, "It's also an international game and the difference is obvious when compared to club games. For historical reasons, our team has not participated in the AFC Champions League for some time. Therefore, we felt a different atmosphere when we participated in the national team games. If I can play for the national team for the first time, I believe I still have a lot to improve. I hope this is just the beginning and that I can seize more opportunities to show better performance in the future."
Finally, Wei Zhen said: "I was heartened to walk into the stadium today and see the support of many fans, especially Chinese fans. The previous Chinese Super League matches were played on empty stadiums, while today there were so many fans cheering for us, which gave us great motivation. I would like to thank them for their support."
