China News Service, Nagoya, Japan, October 3. Title: After 28 years of waiting, the Chinese men’s football team “goes home” with the Asian Games bronze medal.
China News Service reporter Li Zhiquan
The Aichi and Nagoya Asian Games will usher in the bronze medal battle for men's football on the 3rd. The game hasn't started yet, but the battle has already started from the stands.
On one side, Chinese fans unfurled "Dragon Team" banners, waved five-star red flags, and beat war drums; on the other side, Uzbek fans played, played and sang. Different cheers intertwined in the sky above Toyota Stadium.
The whistle blew and the bronze medal battle began. The Chinese team started defensively and created threats through quick counterattacks. In the 15th minute, Hu Hetao scored to help the Chinese team break the deadlock.
Uzbekistan then equalized the score. After changing sides and fighting again, the Chinese team made substitution adjustments. Wang Yudong hit a world wave from outside the penalty area, and the Chinese team took the lead again.
Subsequently, Zhang Yuning received a pass from his teammate and shot into the far corner, and the ball hit the post and popped out. In the stands, a Chinese fan lamented: "I saw the bronze medal, and it popped up again!"
The game came to an end, and the Chinese team was in constant danger in front of the goal. Before the end, the Uzbek team equalized the score again.
The penalty shootout became the final test to determine the bronze medal. Chinese team goalkeeper Li Hao said: "When it comes to penalty kicks, who can win us?"
"Whenever we have a draw in training, we will conduct penalty kick training. We practice penalty kicks every day." Antonio, the head coach of the Chinese team, said.
Both sides missed free throws in the first round. After that, Li Hao saved the opponent's penalty kick twice, and the Chinese team withstood the pressure and finally won 4:3.
Veteran Wu Xi said that the team showed firm belief from the beginning of the game: "We just want to get this medal."
"At this moment, I am the happiest coach in the world." When the final whistle sounded, Antonio hugged the players one by one and lifted Li Hao high. In the locker room, the young players sang, danced and celebrated.
In the stands, the five-star red flag waved again, and the cheers continued for a long time.
After 28 years of waiting, I finally got the answer at this moment. This is the second time that the Chinese men's football team has reached the podium of the Asian Games since the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.
In January this year, the Chinese U23 men's football team won the Asian Cup runner-up, creating the best record since the Chinese team participated in the event. "We are now third in the Asian Games, which is incredible," Antonio said.
Coming to the Asian Games, the Chinese team went all the way: reversed the North Korean team 2:1 in the first game of the group stage, and then drew 0:0 with Iran and the United Arab Emirates. It won the group first with 1 win, 2 draws and 5 points; it defeated Thailand 3:0 in the quarter-finals and returned to the semi-finals of the Asian Games men's football team after 28 years.
In the semi-finals, facing the South Korean team, which had won three consecutive Asian Games, the Chinese team once took the lead in scoring, but was eventually reversed by their opponents 1:2 and missed the final.
This bronze medal is also a new starting point. At Toyota Stadium, Chinese fans in the stands held up a banner: "Chinese football, we will only shed tears of happiness from now on!"
