On April 20, the group stage of the U23 Asian Cup was in full swing, and the performances of the Japanese and South Korean teams were undoubtedly the highlights of this round, and they sealed their place in the group early through consecutive victories. In stark contrast, the continuous poor performances of the Chinese Olympic team and the United Arab Emirates team made the two teams end the group stage journey early.
Thailand suffered a crushing defeat and Saudi Arabia showed its attacking power
The Thai team was attacked by a strong rival, Saudi Arabia. Just four minutes into the game, Saudi Arabia's Nashri showed his pace and insight, and a pinpoint cross helped Yahya score to score. Yahya's form was then completely ignited, not only scoring his own double in first-half stoppage time, but also assisting team-mate Radif in the second half, who also scored a hat-trick. In the end, the Thai team lost 0-5 to Saudi Arabia, which was also a big upset in this round.
The Japanese team has once again proved its strength
The matchup between the Japanese team and the UAE can be said to be a contest of strategy and strength. Japan showed their usual efficiency and tightness in the game, and in the 28th minute, Seiji Kimura broke the deadlock with a precise header from inside the box. Although the UAE tried to resist with a solid defence and their occasional counter-attacks were threatening, overall, Japan prevailed in possession and tactical execution.
In the second half, Japan's wide attack was sharper. In the 66th minute, after a series of smooth passes, Kawasaki Sata sealed the win with a header again. The 2-0 victory not only sealed the group qualification for the Japanese team ahead of schedule, but also once again proved their strong position in Asian football.
Challenges and reflections on China's Olympic Games
For the Chinese Olympic team, their match against South Korea is full of expectations and challenges. In the opening stage, the national Olympic team showed a good offensive, frequently creating threats around the South Korean team's penalty area. However, despite creating a number of shots, a lack of precision and composure allowed all good chances to go down the drain.
The South Korean team seized on this weakness of the Chinese team and firmly controlled the pace of the game. In the 35th minute, Lee Yong-joon's brilliant shot opened the scoring for South Korea, and he scored again in the second half to seal the victory. Although the Chinese Olympic team tried to adjust their tactics and try to change the decline of the game, they were unable to recover in the end and lost 0-2.
For teams that have not made it to the Qualifiers, such as China and Thailand, the road ahead is still full of challenges, but there is also no shortage of opportunities. Learning and adapting from failure will be the key to their future success. The Chinese Olympic team needs to analyze the technical shortcomings and tactical mistakes in this competition more deeply, and improve them in future training.
The Chinese Olympic team can start to improve in the following key aspects:
1. Technical and tactical training
- Improving the basic technical skills of players: including passing accuracy, ball control stability, shooting skills, etc., these are the foundations of the football game and need to be continuously strengthened.
- Tactical understanding and execution: Enhance players' understanding and execution of tactical arrangements, and ensure that they can act according to the coach's tactical deployment during the game.
2. Psychological quality training
- Enhance mental resilience: Improve the mental resilience of players in the face of adversity (e.g. falling behind, injury, criticism, etc.).
- Cultivate game concentration: Help players stay focused during the game and reduce mistakes through mental training.
3. Fitness and speed training
- Enhanced Fitness: Improve your players' stamina and explosiveness to ensure they can perform well in the second half of the game.
- Speed & Agility: Enhance speed and reflexes to improve efficiency in quick counter-attacks and defensive transitions.
4. Teamwork and communication
- Enhance team collaboration: Enhance communication and collaboration among team members through team-building activities and training.
- Developing Leadership: Develop responsible and leadership players in the team who can lead the team through challenges in key moments.
5. Data and Video Analysis
- Use data analysis: Use data analysis technology to evaluate player performance and opponent characteristics, and provide scientific basis for tactical adjustment and player training.
- Video analysis of opponents and oneself: Conduct regular video playback, analyze the game between oneself and one's opponent, find out the strengths and weaknesses, and adjust in time.
6. Accumulation of international experience
- Participate in more international competitions: Arrange for your team to participate in more international friendly matches and invitational matches to increase your experience against high-level opponents.
- Bringing in foreign coaches and consultants: Consider hiring foreign coaches with an international perspective and successful experience to introduce new training methods and tactical ideas to the team.
Through these multi-faceted improvements, the Chinese Olympic team can not only improve the overall strength of the team, but also prepare mentally and psychologically for future challenges.
Japan and South Korea have proven themselves strong through consistent performances, while China's Olympic and Thai performances have exposed a number of problems. For China's Olympic Games, such a failure may be an opportunity for reflection and growth. The team needs to make significant improvements in technique, tactical execution and mental conditioning in order to go far in future games. For fans, despite the disappointment, it should be more about anticipation and support for the future.