What a game! China’s U17 squad just proved that it's not over until it's over. In a thrilling encounter this past Friday, the team staged a massive comeback to defeat host Saudi Arabia 3-1, officially booking their place in the semifinals of the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup! 🌟
It didn't start out perfectly for China. Playing in front of a loud and passionate home crowd, Saudi Arabia took the lead early. In the 21st minute, Faisal Bayomi found the back of the net from close range after a slick setup by Ammar Maimani, leaving the Chinese side trailing 1-0. 📉
But the Chinese team didn't panic. They shifted gears and found their rhythm quickly. Just six minutes later, Wan Xiang took matters into his own hands. After collecting the ball in the penalty area and dancing past his marker, he calmly slotted a finish into the bottom-left corner to tie the game at 1-1. Talk about a quick response! 🔥
The momentum shifted completely after halftime. China kept the pressure on, and in the 59th minute, the breakthrough happened. He Sifan delivered a perfect header into the path of Zhao Songyuan, who reacted the fastest in the six-yard box to punch in the goal and give China a 2-1 lead. 🚀
As the clock ticked down, Saudi Arabia pushed hard for an equalizer, but China had one more piece of magic left. Deep into stoppage time, He Sifan went full-beast mode, dribbling past two defenders before unleashing a rocket of a long-range strike that clipped the underside of the crossbar and flew in! 💥
The 3-1 victory sends China straight into the semifinals. After the match, a hyped-up Zhao Songyuan shared his excitement: "We are very excited after beating Saudi Arabia. Our next goal is to fight with all our strength, strive to win the championship and continue making history."
With their confidence skyrocketing, the team is now eyeing the ultimate trophy. As Zhao put it, as long as they keep nailing those transitions and working hard, the title is within reach. Let's go! 🏆💪
Reference(s):
China fights back to beat Saudi Arabia, reach U17 Asian Cup semifinals
cgtn.com
