Warm-up match: 1-4 loss after half-time Zhu Yue shot from distance to save face

China's 2001 U22 National Olympic Team played the last match with the Croatian U23 National Team in the early morning of this morning (4th) Beijing time, and after withstanding the first 45 minutes of the game, because of the lack of physical fitness, coupled with the opponent's personal skills, ability and overall tactical literacy, the opponent finally lost 1-4. Zhu Yue scored a face-saving goal for the Olympic team with a long-range shot two minutes before the end.

(1) The National Olympic Games did not seize the opportunity at halftime

After conceding a last-minute goal in the first match on June 1 and being drawn 1-1 by the Croatian U23 national team, the next day conducted a simple recovery training to prepare for the second match on the evening of June 3. Since the match with the Croatian team is an international B competition, the coaching staff took into account the rare opportunity for such a national team, in order to further allow the future main players to get more training opportunities, so they did not let the players take turns as in the previous confrontation match with the Croatian team, but continued to play with the strongest team, but made personnel adjustments in individual positions. At the back, Zhu Yue replaced Jin Shunkai and partnered with Liang Shaowen, while Yang Zihao appeared in the left-back position, and the left-back Hu Hetao in the previous game was pushed to the left wing position; Abra Khan, who has been resting for more than a week, also appeared in the starting lineup, and Zhu Qiwen replaced Duan Dezhi in the starting lineup.

Fine-tuning has been made not only in terms of starters, but also in the tactical arrangement. Considering that the Croatian team failed to win the first game, this game will definitely further increase the pressure on the Olympic team, so the national Olympic team eliminated three midfielders, Zhu Qiwen, Abbrahan and Jia Weiwen three stood relatively flat, rather than playing in a 4231 formation as in the first game. Moreover, the focus of the entire team is still on defense, defensive counterattacks to deal with opponents.

In contrast, Croatia has also made major changes to the starting lineup. Bundesliga side Cologne 's centre-back and captain No. 16 Soldo had previously planned to play only the first match on June 1, based on information provided by Croatia, but continued to play as captain in this match. This may have reflected the other party's attitude to some extent. Of the 11 starters, only five of the previous game were retained, and all the others were substituted. Moreover, because almost all the players played half in the last game, the Croatian team was obviously better than the national Olympic team in terms of physical fitness, plus the technical and tactical level and personal ability of the Croatian team players themselves were stronger than the national Olympic team members, and after a day of rest and training, the situation was much better than the first game.

After the start of the game, Croatia took more control of the initiative on the field, while the Olympic team contracted a little deeper, and the whole team was based on defense. In the first 20 minutes, the Croatian team has been in control of the ball, but because the overall tactics of the Olympic team are appropriate, giving up the high pressure in the front court, and only after the opponent advances to the midfield, the national Olympic team will start pressing, so the two sides are more in the midfield to fight, although the Croatian team has a few shots, but basically outside the box.

The Croatian team is very resolute in using the wing in this game, although it can also cross, but because the Olympic team members have prepared in advance, they can grab the first point to solve the siege, plus the goalkeeper Jin Yong's taller stature and can often grab the first point, the Croatian team is not a big threat to the Chinese team. At the same time, the Olympic team was also determined to fight back after stealing the ball, and in the 21st minute, the Olympic team created one of the best chances of both sides in the first half. At that time, the National Olympic Team snatched the ball and then passed a long pass to the feet of Liu Junxian in front, who distributed the ball to Hu Hetao who inserted in front of the left wing, Hu Hetao got rid of the opponent's defense and crossed at the bottom, Liu Junxian inserted in the box to fight for the first point, in the absence of defense, facing the opposing goalkeeper, Liu Junxian regretfully deflected the ball and missed the opportunity to break the deadlock on the field first.

After that, the Croatian team still dominated the game, but the National Olympic team once again had a good opportunity to counterattack in the 39th minute, No. 20 Liu Zhurun got the ball and cut inside with the ball, failed to get up and shoot in time after entering the box, and did not pass the ball to the teammates inserted in time, just when hesitating, was chased by the opposing player to kick out first, and missed a good opportunity again.

Throughout the first half, Croatia took the initiative on the pitch, but did not create absolute chances, so the two sides went into the halftime 0-0.

(2) In the second half, the physical strength was exhausted and the goal was conceded

Since more than half of the players of the national Olympic team continued to start the game after the first game, and more time was spent on defense, the physical consumption was greater, and there were no substitutions at half-time, while the Croatian team changed 6 players in one breath after half-time, which was more physical. So when the game resumed, the Croatian team continued to control the ball and dominate the game. After withstanding the impact of the first few minutes, the Olympic team finally found an opportunity in the 54th minute in the breakthrough on the wing. At that time, the Croatian team broke through from the right wing, although Yang Zihao had already attached to the opponent, but the opponent still crossed the ball, and No. 11 Sego, who had just come off the bench, rushed in front of central defender Liang Shaowen and poked the ball into the net, 1-0! The impasse on the pitch was broken.

Liang Shaowen actually showed fatigue at halftime, after all, the last game played the whole game, and when the first half of this game was fought hard, his physical strength had reached its limit, and the decline in physical fitness was bound to lead to a slower reaction. After conceding the goal, the National Olympic Team immediately substituted the main players from the previous game, such as Liang Shaowen, Hu Hetao, Liu Junxian, and Abrahan, who had not played for a while. After replacing the new team, the Olympic team somewhat stabilized the situation on the field and won a corner kick in the 64th minute. But the Croatian team also replaced five players on the field after the Chinese team took a corner kick, and once again replaced the fresh force.

Just two minutes later, Croatia broke through from the left rib and crossed, and No.9 center Barisic, who had just come off the bench, kicked the score to make it 2-0. With the deepening of the game, the Croatian team's physical advantage is more obvious, although the national Olympic team continues to change, but the overall formation and passing errors between each other further increase. Therefore, although the backfield scramble is very active and can also snatch the ball, it is quickly regained by the opponent when handling forward, and then reorganizes. In a way, in the last period, the Olympic team was a bit "beaten back to its original form". In the 83rd and 86th minutes, the visitors scored two goals in a row from Busnija with crosses from the right and left to make it 4-0.

No. 5 Zhu Yue shot with his foot

Although the score was behind, but the national Olympic team did not give up, after entering injury time, the team moved the front forward, organized several attacks, and in the second minute of injury time, the central defender Zhu Yue, who saw the opportunity to insert forward, directly blocked the opponent's release ball in the middle of the way, and directly shot from a distance, and the opposing goalkeeper was not in a hurry, and the ball went directly into the net and recovered a goal. In the end, the Olympic team lost the match 1-4.

At this point, the two matches with the Croatian U23 national team are over, and the Croatian training of the Olympic team has come to an end. According to the arrangement, the Olympic team will leave for home today (4th) evening local time in Croatia. Upon returning home, the players will be given a short break before regrouping for two head-to-head matches against the visiting Uzbek team.

Attached: National Olympic Team lineup

No. 35 Yu Jinyong; No. 17 Yang Zihao, No. 4 Liang Shaowen (30 good Jin Shunkai, 59'), No. 5 Zhu Yue, No. 6 Chen Yuhao; No. 10 Jia Weiwei (No. 9 Zhao Jianbo, 77'), No. 24 Abra Khan (No. 21 Duan Dezhi, 59'), No. 29 Zhu Qiwen (No. 8 Abdu Rousuli, 71'); No. 28 Hu Hetao (No. 23 He Longhai, 59'), No. 18 Liu Junxian (No. 11 Baihlamu, 59'), No. 20 Liu Zhurun (No. 19 Mu Talipu, 59').