Nandu News reporter Tao Xinlei Qualify with a tie! On the afternoon of September 23rd, Beijing time, in the final round of the men’s football group stage of the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games, the Chinese men’s football Asian Games team, which was in the “Group of Death”, drew 0-0 with the UAE team, and finally qualified with an unbeaten record of 1 win, 2 draws and 5 points. As the North Korean team in the same group defeated the Iranian team 4-1, the national football team took the opportunity to top the group and advance to the quarterfinals.
Chinese team coach Antonio Puche (first from right) celebrates after the game. Xinhua News Agency
The Chinese team continued to use the previous starting lineup in this game, with Zhang Yuning leading the striker, three over-age players Wu Xi and Zhu Chenjie all playing, Wang Yudong, Hu Hetao, and goalkeeper Li Hao starting. The team still responded with a 532 defensive counterattack formation.
The starting players pose for a group photo before the game. Xinhua News Agency
In the first half of the game, the UAE team took the lead and created many threats. The Chinese team’s frontcourt attack relied on Zhang Yuning as the fulcrum. In the 31st and 40th minutes, Zhang Yuning’s two headers were confiscated by the opponent’s goalkeeper due to excessive angles.
The situation continued to be tense in the second half. In the 50th minute, a player conflict occurred on the field and the game was briefly interrupted. In the 79th minute, the UAE team’s corner kick hit the dead center, and Li Hao made a key save. Li Hao played bravely throughout the game and made 5 saves. He was in stable form in this group stage. He made 4 saves in the first round to help the team reverse the North Korean team, and kept a clean sheet against the Iranian team in the second round. He is the core of the national football defense. The final score was 0-0.
Li Hao (left) was fouled by his opponent during the game. Xinhua News Agency
Another match in this group that was held at the same time was a big upset. The Iranian team lost 1-4 to the North Korean team and was eliminated. At the same time, the Chinese team secured the top spot in the group. After the Chinese team drew with the Iranian team in the second round, the Iranian general disdained the Chinese team and believed that the Chinese team would only defend and not be able to go far. In the end, the Chinese team qualified first with an unbeaten record and responded strongly to their opponents’ doubts.
Zhang Yuning (front) celebrates after the game. Xinhua News Agency
The Chinese men’s football Asian Games team was able to break out of the “Group of Death”, and coach Antonio was indispensable. The 54-year-old Spanish coach has been criticized by fans for his emphasis on defensive counterattacks and his passive appearance. However, he has always been good at coaching the national echelon to secure promotion in competitions. This battle is the fifth time that Antonio has coached the Chinese national team to stage a “tie and qualify” script.
Antonio said at the post-match press conference: “This experience should further enhance the confidence of Chinese football. These are very important events, and we hope that through the games, we will continue to enhance the position of Chinese football in Asia.”
The Chinese team’s bottom line goal this time is to advance to the quarterfinals. In the last local Asian Games, the Chinese men’s football team returned to the quarterfinals of the Asian Games after 17 years. In the end, they lost to the South Korean team 0-2 and missed the semifinals. If they reach the semifinals in this tournament, it will be a breakthrough.
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