China toasts quarters qualification
Print Edition
CHINA scored twice in 13 minutes to come from behind and upset Uzbekistan 2-1 at the Asian Cup yesterday to book a spot in the quarterfinals.
China started the tournament as an outsider for the title but after winning its first two Group B matches in dramatic fashion, it is now assured of finishing top of its pool with a game to spare.
Trailing 0-1 at halftime against the group favorite, China drew level after 55 minutes when Wu Xi scored, then snatched the lead with a spectacular solo strike from substitute Sun Ke.
Uzbekistan, which took an early lead through an opportunist goal from Odil Ahmedov, could not find a late equalizer and now faces Saudi Arabia in its final group game in Melbourne on Sunday to decide the pool runner-up.
As Group B winner, China will play the runner-up in Group A — either Australia or South Korea. The Group B runner-up will play the Group A winner.
The Saudis, beaten 0-1 by China on the weekend, stayed in the hunt earlier in the day with a 4-1 win over North Korea, which was eliminated.
Ahmedov gave Uzbekistan the lead after 22 minutes with a goal against the run of play. The central midfielder took a speculative long-range shot from outside the box that took a wicked deflection off the legs of the Chinese defensive midfielder Wu.
The Chinese goalkeeper Wang Dalei, who saved a penalty in the win over the Saudis, was helpless to stop the ball from flying into the top corner of the net.
Wu made amends by scoring the equalizer in the second half after Jiang Zhipeng’s cross from the left floated over the head of Uzbekistan goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov. Less than a quarter of an hour later, China scored again, when Sun, who had come off the bench a few minutes earlier, got the ball inside the Uzbekistan and dribbled downfield. He got as far as the edge of the box before unleashing a ferocious shot that curled past the outstretched arms of Nesterov and decided the match.
It might have only been a group match, but the Chinese celebrated like they had won the final, dancing and singing in their locker rooms. “We beat our opponent through spirit and stamina,” said Wu. “We will celebrate the Chinese way.”
Even China’s French coach Alain Perrin was in the mood to celebrate, saying he’d open two bottles of good champagne back at the team hotel. He said the coaching staff had celebrated the opening win and now he’d invite the players.
“Today we played a very, very beautiful match,” he said. “Our players were nervous at the beginning and we (conceded) a goal, but I’m very happy my players kept playing football in our style.”
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