Historic final berth at U23 Asian Cup a boost for the game

A convincing 3-0 semifinal victory over Vietnam on Tuesday has secured China's youth squad its first ever final berth at the U23 Asian Cup, while sending the country's long-suffering soccer fans into frenzy on a night to remember.

Facing a surging Vietnamese side, which had cruised into the semifinals with four straight wins, the Chinese under-23 squad kicked off its first-ever match at the final-four stage of the biennial tournament with pragmatic tactics, keeping its Southeast Asian opponent at bay with solid defense in the first half at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Guided by Spanish coach Antonio Puche, Team China went into overdrive in the second half, throwing a swift one-two punch from centerback Peng Xiao's 47th-minute header and striker Xiang Yuwang's low shot in the box five minutes later to dictate the play.

Star forward Wang Yudong's final dagger, scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time, sealed Team China's well-deserved win over Vietnam while booking an ultimate challenge against continental power Japan in its first-ever final appearance at the U23 Asian Cup.

The Chinese squad had never advanced into the knockout stage at the previous five editions of the U23 tournament from 2014-24.

In an earlier semifinal match, Japan outplayed its East Asian archrival South Korea 1-0 to advance into Saturday's final first.

With the team's confidence boosted by the history-making run, Chinese players are determined to give it all and try to win it all in its final showdown against Japan.

"We are really excited and proud. It's like a wild dream come true," the 22-year-old Xiang, who scored China's second goal, said after the match.

"Now we are heading into the final without any pressure on our side. We will just stay relaxed and play the best game we can to try to win the championship.

"I really appreciate the loud-cheering Chinese fans on the stand tonight and those who've been supporting us unconditionally at home. It's their unwavering support that made us play with a strong motivation."

The last time a Chinese men's soccer team fought into a final at the continental level was 22 years ago when the senior squad reached the 2004 Asian Cup final at the famed Worker's Stadium in Beijing, where it lost 1-3 to Japan.

The long-awaited return to the pinnacle stage at an Asian tournament has provided Chinese fans with a much-needed comfort, seven months after the senior national team missed out on FIFA World Cup qualification for a frustrating sixth straight time in June.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn