1-0 & 1-0! All decided by penalties, the U20 men’s football final at the National Games is set: Guangdong vs. Hubei for the championship

On November 10th Beijing time, the U20 men’s football semifinals at the National Games concluded with astonishing results—all matches were decided by last-minute penalty shootouts. Hubei narrowly defeated Shandong 1-0 on penalties, while host Guangdong edged out Shanghai 1-0 in a penalty shootout. It was quite unexpected that both Shandong and Shanghai, teams with many national youth players, were eliminated. This means the final four teams are set, with Guangdong and Hubei battling for the title!

Hubei faced Shandong. In the semifinals, Hubei eliminated Liaoning by a slim 1-0 margin, while Shandong showed an offensive surge by scoring 4 goals in a 4-0 shutout against Fujian. Both teams fought fiercely for a spot in the final, engaging in an intense battle of attack and defense. Although Shandong dominated the field, their play was chaotic and lacked creativity, with poor passing skills. In the final moments, a reckless foul by Shandong gave Hubei a penalty, which Hubei converted easily. Thus, Shandong collapsed 0-1 and was heartbreakingly eliminated. It really seems Shandong’s performance was surprisingly poor—one wonders what their youth training has been focusing on, as their reputation does not match reality!

Guangdong took on Shanghai. As hosts, Guangdong narrowly won 1-0 against Yunnan in the quarterfinals. Shanghai, boasting three national youth stars, narrowly escaped elimination by using individual skills to clinch a 3-2 victory over Xinjiang in the quarters, barely making it to the semifinals. However, after the match started, Shanghai’s forwards went silent and played disorganized football, failing to mount any effective attacks. In contrast, Guangdong controlled the game methodically, patiently pressing and waiting for chances. Eventually, Guangdong earned a penalty late in the game and calmly converted it, sealing a 1-0 win and advancing to the final. Shanghai’s loss was disappointing, forcing them to exit the tournament.

With this, the final of the tournament will be contested between host Guangdong and Hubei. Both teams’ offenses are not particularly strong, but Guangdong’s home advantage greatly increases their chances of winning the championship. The final is scheduled for November 12th. We look forward to this top domestic showdown—let’s wait and see!

Written by / Sports Novel