The Chinese Men’s Olympic Football Team emerged victorious in a hard-fought warm-up match against the Malaysian Olympic Team on the 26th. The match, held at the Shanghai Jinshan Sports Center Football Stadium, ended with a score of 2:1 in favor of the Chinese team.
This victory came after a disappointing loss in the first round of the warm-up match against the Malaysian team. In response, head coach Cheng Yaodong made four changes to the starting lineup, including bringing in Yu Jinyong as goalkeeper and Ruan Qilong, Baihe Lamu, and Tao Qianglong as replacements for other players.
The Chinese Olympic team took an early lead with a goal from Du Yuezheng in the 5th minute, but the Malaysian team fought back, equalizing the score at 1:1. However, in the stoppage time of the first half, Tao Qianglong scored again, securing a 2:1 lead for the Chinese team.
The second half saw no further goals from either side, and the match ended with the Chinese team emerging as the victors. Looking ahead, the Chinese Olympic team is gearing up for the U23 Asian Cup finals in Qatar in April 2024. This event will also serve as the Asian qualifier for the Paris Olympic men’s football competition, with the top three teams earning a spot in the Paris Olympics.
In the draw ceremony for the U23 Asian Cup finals, the Chinese Olympic team was placed in a group with Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. Their upcoming matches are scheduled for April 16, April 19, and April 22, and the team is set to reconvene in January 2024 to begin active preparations for the Olympic preliminaries.