Wei Xiangxin scored the winning goal as a substitute, leading Guangdong U18 men's football team into the top four of the 15th National Games.

Reporter Wang Wei reporting. On the evening of October 21, the quarterfinal match of the men's under-18 football event at the 15th National Games between host Guangdong and Hubei was held at Shenzhen Bao'an Sports Stadium. Guangdong ultimately won 2-1 with the help of a first-half own goal by Hubei and a last-minute goal by Wei Xiangxin in the 85th minute. The semifinal between Guangdong and Shandong will be held at 7:45 pm on October 23 at the same stadium. The other semifinalists are Jiangsu and Liaoning.

Notably, the VAR system was introduced starting from the quarterfinals in the men's under-18 football event at the 15th National Games to ensure fairness and justice. The match referee between Guangdong and Hubei was Maimaiti Jiang, who officiates in the Chinese Super League.

In the group stage, Guangdong first defeated Henan 4-2, then won 4-0 against Hunan in the second round, and drew 0-0 with Liaoning in the last group match. They finished second in the group due to goal difference.

On the evening of October 21, Guangdong faced Hubei in the quarterfinals. Both teams featured several U17 national youth players. Guangdong’s captain was Pan Nuojun from Shenzhen Bao'an, while Jiang Zhiqin, a U17 national youth player from Guangzhou Leopard team, started along with Guo Wuyue, Liu Binglin, and Yang Zhanpeng.

Hubei’s head coach is the Japanese coach Nakamura Masaaki. Starting players included outstanding domestic players of the same age group such as Zhang Hongfu and Sun Tianyu. Zhang Jiaming and Wang Junyang, who have played in the China League One, also started for Hubei.

Six minutes into the match, Guangdong took the lead 1-0 thanks to an own goal by Hubei’s Sun Tianyu. In the latter part of the first half, Hubei launched strong attacks, increasing pressure on Guangdong. At the 44th minute, Hubei’s Zhang Jiaming equalized.

In the second half, Guangdong made tactical changes. After substitutes Buniamin and Wei Xiangxin came on, the game improved. Wei Xiangxin, who entered as a substitute in the second half, scored the winning goal with a rebound in the 85th minute, securing a 2-1 victory and a semifinal spot for Guangdong.

In this quarterfinal, Guangdong’s starting lineup rested national youth team scorers Wei Xiangxin and Buniamin. Their introduction in the second half gradually shifted the momentum of the match. This was a tactical plan by Guangdong’s coaching staff.

Regarding Wei Xiangxin and Buniamin coming on as substitutes in the second half, Guangdong coach Li Haoming said after the match: “This was our backup plan because we anticipated the opponent playing a five-defender formation. In their last match, they used counterattacks, leaving little space in the back. Buniamin needs some attacking space, so we adjusted and sent him on in the second half to push forward. For Wei Xiangxin’s usage in recent games, the coaching staff assigned him specific tasks.”

So far in this National Games, Wei Xiangxin has mostly appeared as a substitute. Li Haoming explained that the Guangdong coaching staff has its own strategy: “I have said before, the National Games are about the bench and grit, about who has more stamina. The coaching staff focuses on how to reasonably distribute players’ energy. Guangdong players have similar technical traits, so we must allocate their stamina more effectively.”

About Guangdong’s performance in this quarterfinal, Li Haoming said after the game: “Today we allowed players to showcase their characteristics. After all, they are 17 or 18 years old and may have some emotional fluctuations. We encouraged them to let go of burdens, stay calm, and execute the coaching staff’s tactical plans normally, including transitions.”

After several matches, the players carried some psychological burdens. Guangdong worked hard to relieve this pressure: “Between the group stage and quarterfinals, we had two days’ rest because we sensed the players were burdened and stressed, wanting to play well and afraid to lose. Leaders from the Provincial Sports Bureau and Football Center specially came to ease the players’ minds, telling them to stay calm and perform their skills and tactics normally without overthinking,” Li Haoming said. “In today’s match, the players were excited at the start but lost some focus for a while. After adjustments in the second half, they improved a lot. Overall, the coaching staff is very satisfied with their performance.”

Looking ahead to the semifinal against Shandong, Li Haoming said: “No match in the National Games is easy. When entering the competition zone, we told the players to treat every game as if it’s the last, to fight hard and not think about the future, just focus on the current 90 minutes. Today’s match, considering both sides’ performances, was a wonderful contest. For the upcoming game against Shandong, we will make tactical adjustments. The National Games are more about countering each move. We will analyze and possibly rotate players and see how to arrange things.”

Guangdong’s number 10, Wei Xiangxin, who scored the winning goal, said: “I feel very excited and happy about the team’s victory. I haven’t scored like this for a long time, and I think I achieved it this time. Before I came on as a substitute, the coach told me to look for scoring opportunities and give my all, running more. Helping the team reach the semifinals is thrilling. We fight for Guangdong and for the people of Guangdong.”

Regarding preparations for the semifinal against Shandong, Wei Xiangxin said: “We will give our best and play according to Shandong’s style. Having reached the top four, our goal is definitely to win the championship, not second or third place. Our target is the gold medal.”

Guangdong captain Pan Nuojun, a local player from Shenzhen Bao'an, said after the match: “We gave our all from the first to the last minute in this match. I’m very grateful for the entire team’s effort. It’s a great joy to perform in front of our hometown fans in Bao'an. For the upcoming semifinal against Shandong, we will fight with all our strength and do our utmost to compete.”