Yu lifts China past Saudi Arabia
Print Edition
CHINA opened its Asian Cup with a 1-0 win over Group B rival Saudi Arabia yesterday in Brisbane, Australia, with Yu Hai’s late deflected free kick breaking the deadlock after goalkeeper Wang Dalei made a crucial save.
Yu scored in the 80th minute, his left-foot free kick from 30 yards deflecting off a defender and curling into the bottom of the net as Saudi keeper Abdullah Waleed dived to his right.
The Saudis pressed desperately for a late equalizer but lacked finish and paid a heavy price for Naif Hazazi’s failure from the penalty spot in the 61st minute.
Hazazi was surging into the area on a counterattack when he was fouled by China defender Ren Hang, giving Saudi Arabia its best chance of the match. He fired low and right from the spot but Wang blocked it with his legs, a save that ultimately earned him the player-of-the-match award.
“Today belongs to Wang Dalei,” China coach Alain Perrin said, adding that the team had a birthday gift prepared for the goalkeeper but would keep it secret. “Definitely satisfied with the defensive effort. We were under constant pressure from the Saudi team, but we didn’t concede ... I’m very satisfied.”
Wang said: “Before the match I got a lot of courage from my coach. Of course we’re lucky, but I’m very happy — congratulations to my coach, and my brothers.”
Chinese midfielder Wu Xi had the clearest chance of the first half but shot wide from the top of the area in the 43rd minute.
The Saudi squad was hoping to rebound from its last Asian Cup when it lost all three group games at Qatar 2011, but had a major setback in the hours leading up to the match when captain and forward Nassir Al Shamrani was ruled out with an abdominal injury.
China moved to the top of Group B with Uzbekistan, which opened with a 1-0 win over North Korea in heavy rain in Sydney.
South Korea began its Asian Cup campaign with a difficult 1-0 win over Oman in Canberra through Cho Yong-cheol’s goal.
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