The second stage of the Championship Group matches and the first to eighth qualifying matches of the 2022 season of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) U21 League is about to kick off on December 4 at the Happy Island Football Base in Zhangzhou. The afternoon before, the head coaches and players of the eight participating teams gathered for a press conference. Zhai Biao, a former international footballer of Beijing Guoan U21 team, said that the team will devote themselves to the game with a normal heart and pay more attention to the players' experience accumulation.
A total of eight teams are participating in the league, including Shenzhen U21s, Guangzhou U21s, Qingdao Sea Bulls U21s, Beijing Guoan U21s, Shandong Taishan U21s, Shanghai Port U21s, Shanghai Shenhua U21s and Changchun Yatai U21s. Yang Xiaowei, the representative of Shenzhen U21 team, said in the press conference that the team will cherish the opportunity to return to the field of play, and even though most of the players are 17 years old, after the first phase of training, they believe that they can set a new record.
Liang Guang, head coach of Guangzhou Team U21, emphasized that youth training is the cornerstone of professional soccer, and the club will make every effort to consolidate this cornerstone and promote long-term development. Facing the Shenzhen U21 team, Liang Guang said that Guangzhou will not relax and strive for a total victory despite the youthfulness of their opponents.
Qingdao Hainiu U21 team, the dark horse of this year's league and the only team promoted to the first division, participated in the second stage of the tournament. Head coach Xu Xiang said that although some of the players were unable to participate, which is not unusual for professional clubs, the team will give their best and will not be affected.
Guoan U21 team head coach Zhai Biao kept a low profile, emphasizing that the team will participate in the game with a normal mind and move forward steadily. Player Hu Jiaqi also said that he will contribute to the team by combining his experience in the AFC Champions League.
Shandong Taishan U21s were short of players in the first phase, but made up for it in this phase. The club appointed a new coach, Yu Yuanwei, who led the team to win the U19 division of the inaugural National Youth Football League. Yu Yuanwei is confident that the team is competitive. Goalkeeper Cao Zheng said that as a goalkeeper, he will take more responsibility in the game. Chen Xufeng, coach of Shanghai Seaport U21 team, revealed that the team has added personnel, which is conducive to improving competitiveness. Yu Tao, the coach of Shanghai Shenhua U21 Team, said that the team has also added some strong players and will face Changchun Yatai U21 Team in the first match. Yu Tao emphasized that the Shenhua team will do their best to show their fighting spirit while learning from the opposing coach Sun Maofeng. Sun Maofeng, head coach of Changchun Yatai U21 team, said that every participating team should not be underestimated and the team needs to give their best. The team's top scorer Bai Xuesong also said that he will carry out the coach's intention and work with his teammates to win.
