Chinese U20 Team Begins AFC Asian Cup Campaign with Victory over Qatar
The Chinese national under-20 football team secures a 2-1 win against Qatar at the AFC U20 Asian Cup, aiming for a World Cup berth.
The Chinese national under-20 football team commenced their campaign at the AFC U20 Asian Cup with a 2-1 victory against Qatar on February 12, 2025, at the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Centre Stadium in Shenzhen, South China.
Goals from players Kuai Jiwen and Liu Chengyu in the first half secured the early lead for China, while Qatar, the 2015 AFC U20 Asian Cup champions, managed to score once in the second half.
As the tournament continues, the Chinese team's ambitions remain high.
They aim to secure a top-four finish in this Asian Cup, a pathway toward qualification for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, which they last participated in back in 2005.
Head coach Dejan Durdevic reaffirmed the team's goals, stating, "Our goal has not changed, which is to get into the top four of this Asian Cup and get a ticket to the World Cup."
On the day of the match, Song Kai, president of the Chinese Football Association, inspired the players by quoting a popular line from the animated film Ne Zha 2: "My fate is determined by myself, not by the Heavens." This message was intended to encourage the young athletes to take control of their performance on the pitch.
The match statistics reflect a dominant performance by the Chinese team, with a significantly higher possession rate than their opponents.
China registered six shots on target from 13 attempts, compared to Qatar's single shot on target out of eight attempts.
China's U20 squad is competing in Group A alongside Australia, Kyrgyzstan, and Qatar.
In other group matches earlier on Wednesday, Australia defeated Kyrgyzstan 5-1. The Chinese team is set to face the Kyrgyzstan U20 team next on Saturday, followed by a match against the Australia U20 team on Tuesday.
The ongoing AFC U20 Asian Cup also serves as a platform for identifying emerging talent for the senior national team, which is seeking to rejuvenate its roster ahead of the World Cup Asian qualifying campaign in March.
Since taking over in January 2024, Coach Durdevic has led the U20 team through several international friendlies, achieving notable victories, including a 2-0 win against South Korea and Iran, alongside a 1-1 draw against Australia.
These results have generated optimism among fans for a strong performance in the ongoing tournament.
Goals from players Kuai Jiwen and Liu Chengyu in the first half secured the early lead for China, while Qatar, the 2015 AFC U20 Asian Cup champions, managed to score once in the second half.
As the tournament continues, the Chinese team's ambitions remain high.
They aim to secure a top-four finish in this Asian Cup, a pathway toward qualification for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, which they last participated in back in 2005.
Head coach Dejan Durdevic reaffirmed the team's goals, stating, "Our goal has not changed, which is to get into the top four of this Asian Cup and get a ticket to the World Cup."
On the day of the match, Song Kai, president of the Chinese Football Association, inspired the players by quoting a popular line from the animated film Ne Zha 2: "My fate is determined by myself, not by the Heavens." This message was intended to encourage the young athletes to take control of their performance on the pitch.
The match statistics reflect a dominant performance by the Chinese team, with a significantly higher possession rate than their opponents.
China registered six shots on target from 13 attempts, compared to Qatar's single shot on target out of eight attempts.
China's U20 squad is competing in Group A alongside Australia, Kyrgyzstan, and Qatar.
In other group matches earlier on Wednesday, Australia defeated Kyrgyzstan 5-1. The Chinese team is set to face the Kyrgyzstan U20 team next on Saturday, followed by a match against the Australia U20 team on Tuesday.
The ongoing AFC U20 Asian Cup also serves as a platform for identifying emerging talent for the senior national team, which is seeking to rejuvenate its roster ahead of the World Cup Asian qualifying campaign in March.
Since taking over in January 2024, Coach Durdevic has led the U20 team through several international friendlies, achieving notable victories, including a 2-0 win against South Korea and Iran, alongside a 1-1 draw against Australia.
These results have generated optimism among fans for a strong performance in the ongoing tournament.
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