China 'true record' in U23 Asian Cup semifinals with 'only one goal in four matches'... "No Run" GK pays attention to the next-generation A team

*This content was translated by AI.

China's under-23 (U-23) soccer team has set a record of reaching the semifinals of the 2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup even after scoring just one goal in four games from the group stage to the quarterfinals.

China's U-23 national team, led by coach Antonio Puche (Spain), reached the semifinals on the 17th (Korea time) by winning 4-2 in a penalty shootout after drawing 0-0 against Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals of the tournament at the Prince Abdullah Alfaisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

China, which has never passed the U-23 Asian Cup group stage, has repeatedly made a new history of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in its history through this tournament and then reaching the semifinals.

Peng Xiao (Shandong Taishan)'s goal in the second Group D match against Australia was the only one that China shook the opponent's net while advancing to the semifinals. He made it to the semifinals of the tournament after scoring just one goal in four games.

China previously drew 0-0 against Iraq and Thailand in the group stage, accumulating five points (1 win and 2 draws), including the victory against Australia, to advance to the quarterfinals as second place in Group D, and laughing in the penalty shootout after facing Uzbekistan 0-0 in the quarterfinals.

China is the first team to reach the semifinals at the U-23 Asian Cup with only one goal in four games. China attempted 31 shots in the previous four games, and only four of them headed inside the goal, and only one of them scored.

On the contrary, the driving force behind China's advance to the semifinals with just one goal lies in its defense, which recorded "four scoreless games." Rather than the stability of the defense line, the performance of goalkeeper Li Hao (Qingdao West Coast), born in 2004, who is guarding the goal from the back, is drawing particular attention.

Goalkeeper Lihao did not lose a single goal in all games until the three group matches and the quarterfinals against Uzbekistan. In the process, the Chinese defense allowed as many as 67 shots, 23 of them headed inside the goal, but thanks to Li Hao's good defense, they have scored no points. In the quarterfinal penalty shootout against Uzbekistan, Li Hao also defended his opponent's shot and became the top contributor to China's advance to the semifinals.

In China, Li Hao has also been selected as the next starting goalkeeper for the A national team. Sohu said, "The Chinese national team reached the semifinals with one point and no goals in four games. Li Hao is leading the Chinese team alone and moving forward, he said. "After this tournament, Li Hao will be able to secure a spot in the A team." With this tournament's performance alone, he expects that he will be able to take the position of the A national team's main goalkeeper for at least the next 10 years. Lihao does not have a career in the A team yet.

China, which reached the semifinals, will compete with Vietnam, led by head coach Kim Sang-sik, for the finals at 0:30 a.m. on the 21st. If you win, even if you lose, you will unconditionally meet the winner or loser of another semifinal match between Korea and Japan, as you head to the third place final. The semifinal match between Korea and Japan will take place at 8:30 p.m. on the 20th.

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*This content was translated by AI.