A new journey for the Olympic dream
In 2024, the U23 Asian Cup kicks off tonight in Qatar, which is a battle of youth and a key battle to the Paris Olympics. For the Chinese Olympic team, this is a golden opportunity with a clear goal - Olympic qualification. Historically, the Chinese Olympic team has only set foot on the Olympic stage twice, once in Seoul in 1988 and again in Beijing in 2008 as hosts. This time, the long-term training camp in Europe and West Asia shows that the Chinese team attaches great importance to this Olympic ticket.
Strategic preparation: full preparation of the Chinese Olympic team
Head Coach Cheng's tactical layout and strategic deployment began two years ago. Through systematic training in Europe and West Asia, as well as intensive preparation after the Spring Festival, the national Olympic team aims to comprehensively improve its technical and tactical level and teamwork ability. Coach Cheng has a precise positioning of the position and role of each player, and their goal is not only to compete, but also to shine in the Asian Cup and win glory for the country. Cheng Yaodong said that the Chinese Olympic team is participating in this competition to compete with strong teams. With the players playing normally, he hopes that the team can achieve a better result.
The life-and-death battle of the Death Group
Unfortunately, the cogs of fate seem to be joking, and the Chinese Olympic team was placed in a very challenging group, alongside Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, known as the "Group of Death". Despite the strong adversaria, opportunities often coexist with challenges.
The first point, especially the Japanese team, many of the main players were unable to participate due to club tasks, which undoubtedly provided a ray of life for the national Olympic team.
The second point is that the Chinese team has historically defeated Japan 2-1 in the 2017 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, led by Wei Shihao, and this victory has injected confidence into the national Olympic team.
So with these two turnarounds, it is also a drama for the Chinese Olympic team to defeat the Asian No. 1 Japanese Olympic team!
Breakthrough and prospects: The First World War is the final battle
The first opponent was the highly skilled Japanese Olympic team. In the face of such an opponent, Coach Cheng Yaodong needs to make a clever layout, take advantage of the absence of the opponent's foreign players, and adjust his tactics to break through the enemy's defense. If the Olympic team can win the first game, they will be more comfortable facing South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. Two wins can accumulate 6 points, basically lock in the group qualification, and can have a great positive impact on the players psychologically.
In the following competitions, each will be a comprehensive test of strategy, will, and teamwork. Cheng Yaodong's on-the-spot command and tactical adjustments will be key, and the performance of the players will directly determine whether the national Olympic team can go far in this high-level international competition. Let's wait and see how the Olympic team overcomes obstacles in the group of death and shows the world the new force of Chinese football.
The 2024 U23 Asian Cup kicks off tonight, and China will play Japan for the first time tomorrow night!
China Olympic group stage schedule:
April 16, 2024 21:00 Japan vs China
April 19, 2024 21:00 China vs South Korea
April 22, 2024 21:00 UAE vs China