Light and unburdened, can the U23 Chinese national team make history again tonight?

Reporter Lu Mi reporting At 19:30 on January 17, the U23 Asian Cup quarterfinals will feature a key showdown, with the U23 Chinese team confronting the formidable Uzbekistan side. Though not favored by outsiders, the young Chinese squad has made history by progressing to the knockout rounds with zero goals conceded in the group stage. Facing this Central Asian contender, they can lighten their load and compete with ease.

A mental transformation stands out as the most notable change in this U23 Chinese team. The old curse and constraint of "drawing to advance" in Chinese football has now been broken through concrete action. In three group matches, despite holding less than 50% possession on average and being on the back foot, the team’s full commitment led to clean sheets, as they resisted relentless attacks with proactive defensive coordination and firm execution.

In the match against Australia, Peng Xiao’s single goal sealed the win; he also led with 37 clearances, followed closely by He Yiran with 22. Goalkeeper Li Hao contributed 16 crucial saves across three games, ranking first. His high and low saves earned him the title of “guardian.” The defenders built a steel fortress with their bodies, maintaining tactical discipline under intense pressure from opponents.

Facing Uzbekistan, the U23 Chinese team must overcome the psychological disadvantage of past encounters. Previously in the U23 Asian Cup finals, China lost both matches against Uzbekistan without scoring. However, under Antonio, this U23 squad has met Uzbekistan three times, all ending in draws with two clean sheets. Last year in Chengdu, if not for being a man down, they might have won.

However, Antonio stated that the situation is now completely different: “This is the U23 Asian Cup, an official competition, and everything is distinct.”

Having reached the knockout stage, the U23 Chinese team has shed mental burdens, and combined with their fearless youthful spirit, this might be the key to breaking through.

Tactically, Antonio’s pragmatic approach is central to facing strong opponents. In the group stage, he decisively abandoned unrealistic possession obsession, opting for a 5-3-2 fortress formation focused on not conceding goals, leveraging efficient tackles to build a solid defense. Against Uzbekistan, this strategy will likely continue with targeted adjustments. Uzbekistan plays a four-defender, attack-oriented system, topping their group with 2 wins and 1 draw over Korea and Iran. However, their squad is mostly born in 2005, possibly at a physical and strength disadvantage, which favors the U23 Chinese team.

Defensively, the U23 Chinese team must maintain their coordinated teamwork advantage. The three-center-back system should focus on neutralizing Uzbekistan’s key striker Saydov (3 goals and 1 assist). Wing players need to quickly track back to prevent being pierced by the opponent’s combined wing and central tactics.

Good news for the U23 Chinese team is the return of right-wing mainstay Yang Xi after suspension, and Liu Haofan’s recovery from injury, making the defense fully intact and significantly boosting the activity on the flanks both offensively and defensively.

At the pre-match press conference, when asked why the defense had been so solid, Antonio patted goalkeeper Li Hao beside him and said, “The reason we haven’t conceded is sitting right next to me. Of course, we are well-organized and maintain that for 90 minutes. Also, we created many chances, but only scoring one goal is a bit regrettable. In football, balance is key. I’m happy we created chances, but it’s frustrating to only score one. We will improve.”

Li Hao said that having reached the quarterfinals, the team must aim higher. Regarding outside praise, he said it’s not just his effort, “I’m only doing my job.” About Uzbekistan, Li Hao said he hadn’t faced them before, “We prepare normally like any other game, follow the coach’s instructions, and focus on ourselves.”

As Antonio mentioned, the U23 Chinese team indeed needs breakthroughs in attack. After all, they scored only one goal in the group stage, from a set piece, exposing their weakness in scoring from open play. Despite averaging 7.8 shots per game, their finishing efficiency needs urgent improvement.

The U23 Chinese team should enhance the quality of counterattacks, using long passes to quickly reach forwards Wang Yudong and Bai Helamu, creating chances through simple two-point plays. Yang Xi’s return will bring vitality on the right flank, with his dribbling and overlapping runs generating crossing opportunities. Of course, set pieces remain the most reliable scoring method but also require improved efficiency.

Antonio said before the match, “You always have to think more. Our current results are good, but we must have a winner’s mentality and adapt to that. I don’t know what will happen in this game, but one thing is clear: we must give our all to win.”

The U23 Chinese team is eager to continue rewriting history. If they can maintain their defensive strength, improve counterattack efficiency, and capitalize on set pieces, they have a chance to create new surprises. Regardless of the outcome, this young team has already demonstrated tactical discipline and defensive resilience. On the evening of January 17, let us await this youthful battle and witness the U23 team’s wholehearted fight.