China’s women’s football team lost the lead in the Olympic preliminaries “breakout”
By Beijing Youth Daily reporter Xiao Nan
Tonight, the Chinese women’s football team is at home in Xiamen to face their last opponent in the second group stage of the Asian region of the Paris Olympic Women’s Football Qualifiers, the 2022 Asian Cup runner-up South Korea. Currently, the Chinese women’s football team has 1 win and 1 loss, placing them temporarily ranked third in the group. The Uzbekistan team in Group C, who is competing with the Chinese women’s football team, won their last game against the weakest team in the group, India. As their game’s kick-off time is 25 minutes later than the Chinese and Korean women’s football match, the Chinese women’s football team no longer has the initiative to qualify.
Even if they beat South Korea, they might not qualify.
In the second round of the women’s football Olympic preliminaries on October 29, the South Korean team and the North Korean team in Group B ended in a goalless draw. Both teams have a record of 1 win and 1 draw, placing them temporarily in the first and second position in the group. On the other hand, the Chinese women’s football team defeated Thailand 3-0 in the same round but lost to North Korea in the first round, placing them temporarily in third position. To keep their hope of promotion, the Chinese women’s football team must defeat the South Korean team in the final round.
In Group C, the Japanese team, who are currently in the lead, only defeated the Uzbekistan team by two goals in the second round. The Vietnamese women’s football team, who are temporarily ranked second in the group, will face the Japanese team in the final round. The Uzbekistan team will be playing against the weakest team in the group, the Indian women’s football team. If the Uzbekistan team defeats India by a large margin in the final round, they will surpass the Chinese women’s football team in goal difference and advance to the semi-finals as the second-best group.
Considering the performance and points ranking of each team in the previous rounds, even if the Chinese women’s football team defeats South Korea, they may not qualify. The Chinese team is already in a highly disadvantageous situation in this stage of the Olympic preliminaries. Additionally, the kick-off time for the final round of Group C between Ukraine and India is scheduled 25 minutes later than the Chinese women’s football match, which could potentially affect the fair competition of the entire event.
To add to their difficulties, many main players of the Chinese women’s football team have been experiencing fever symptoms. Head coach Shui Qingxia revealed that two players, Wu Chengshu and Li Mengwen, had fever symptoms before the China-Thailand match and were unable to play. Two other players, Yao Wei and Liu Yanqiu, also developed similar symptoms. Although the fevers of Wu Chengshu, Li Mengwen, and Yao Wei have subsided, Liu Yanqiu still has a fever, causing some trouble for the team’s formation in the final round.
Despite the challenges, the Chinese women’s football team is determined to give their best performance. The two teams have a long history of encounters, with the Chinese women’s football team holding a significant advantage with 32 wins, 4 draws, and 8 losses in their 44 previous meetings. In their recent meetings in the Tokyo Olympic Women’s Football Qualifiers and the 2022 Asian Cup, the Chinese women’s football team emerged victorious.
Despite the odds, the Chinese women’s football team is confident in their abilities and the psychological advantage they hold over the Korean women’s football team in major events. The match between China and South Korea promises to be an exciting showdown.
Only time will tell if the Chinese women’s football team can secure their spot in the next round or if they will face disappointment in the Olympic preliminaries.