The U23 Chinese national football team has reached the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup for the first time, with the goalkeeper receiving the highest rating, and the knockout stage opponent confirmed.

On January 14th Beijing time, the U23 Asian Cup group stage ended with a crucial match where China held Thailand to a 0-0 draw, securing 5 points and second place in the group to qualify for the quarterfinals. This is the U23 team’s first ever advancement to the last eight of the Asian Cup, a major breakthrough that is truly uplifting. If scoring the team’s performance, everyone passed, but the standout was goalkeeper Li Hao, who pushed the team to new heights!

The third round match against Thailand was essentially a do-or-die battle for China; a draw was enough to qualify, a kind of curse that made it uncertain if they could achieve it. In the end, China did manage it. Facing a stronger Thai side, China played very defensively, with several players receiving yellow cards and heavy defensive pressure. The goal area was under constant threat, but goalkeeper Li Hao maintained his excellent form, making multiple world-class saves to keep a clean sheet. The 0-0 draw gave China 5 points and a spot in the quarterfinals — their first time advancing from the group stage. This was truly hard-earned, thanks to the goalkeeper’s heroic performance. With just 1 goal scored and none conceded, China advanced economically and effectively!

Although our performance against Thailand was not ideal, we achieved the desired result. Evaluating the players, the overall rating is satisfactory. Despite being on the back foot, securing 1 point and locking in second place to reach the quarterfinals was the goal. Goalkeeper Li Hao was undoubtedly the brightest star, earning high marks as the team’s reliable pillar with his quick reactions and timely saves!

In another group match, Australia was incredibly lucky, scoring two goals in stoppage time to achieve a miraculous 2-1 comeback win over Iraq. This not only saved them from elimination but also snatched the top spot in the group at the last moment, leaving China in second place. China’s knockout stage opponent is now confirmed: the strong young team from Uzbekistan. Winning will be very challenging, and our hopes to advance rely heavily on Li Hao’s outstanding performance. In any case, we must fight until the end!

Written by / Sports Novel