With Shanghai's 3-2 last-minute win over Xinjiang, the U20 men's football semifinals at the National Games are set: Guangdong, Shandong, Shanghai, and Hubei.

On November 9th Beijing time, the quarterfinals of the National Games U20 men's football wrapped up with four matches played simultaneously. Shanghai staged a comeback to clinch a 3-2 victory over Xinjiang, Liaoning conceded late and lost 0-1 to Hubei, Guangdong scored first to win 1-0 against Yunnan, and Fujian collapsed in the second half, losing 0-4 to Shandong. Consequently, the final four teams are Guangdong, Shandong, Shanghai, and Hubei. The semifinals will see a heavyweight encounter between Guangdong and Shanghai, while Shandong and Hubei battle for a place in the final!

Shanghai faced Xinjiang in an intense match full of twists and turns. Although Xinjiang was not the strongest, they fought hard and took the lead early. Shanghai then launched a counterattack, scoring two goals within seven minutes to take the lead. In the 56th minute, Li Xinxiao delivered a precise pass to Liu Chengyu, who fired a powerful shot to equalize. At the 63rd minute, an active Liu Chengyu won a penalty, which Kuai Jiwen calmly converted to regain the lead. Xinjiang did not give up and fought back to score again at the 78th minute, leveling the score at 2-2 and keeping the suspense alive. However, in the 92nd minute, Li Xinxiao showcased his superior skills with a stunning long-range strike, securing a dramatic 3-2 victory for Shanghai and a hard-earned spot in the semifinals!

Liaoning played against Hubei. Facing group leaders Hubei, Liaoning struggled somewhat. Although they kept a clean sheet in the first half, they could not hold on in the second half. Hubei seized the opportunity in the 78th minute to score the decisive goal, delivering a fatal blow. Ultimately, Liaoning lost 0-1 to Hubei!

Guangdong took on Yunnan. The group leaders Guangdong started aggressively and scored in the 7th minute, achieving a dream start. After that, neither team managed to score, and Guangdong held on to their 1-0 lead, securing a solid and economical victory to advance to the semifinals!

Fujian faced Shandong. Shandong was stronger and quickly took control of the game's pace. Although Fujian's defense was solid in the first half, making it difficult for Shandong to find chances or score, the second half saw a dramatic change. Shandong launched relentless attacks, exposing Fujian’s defensive weaknesses. Goals came rapidly, and Shandong ultimately completed a four-goal spree to sweep Fujian 4-0. Shandong scored three goals, while Fujian contributed an own goal!

Written by/Titan Sports Fiction