China's national football team faced a challenging start to the EAFF E-1 Football Championship, falling 3-0 to hosts South Korea in their opening match on Monday. The game highlighted the tactical prowess of the South Korean side, which controlled possession and capitalized on early opportunities to secure a decisive victory.
South Korea's Lee Dong-gyeong opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a powerful strike from outside the box, followed by Joo Min-kyu's header in the 21st minute. Kim Ju-sung sealed the win in the 57th minute with a close-range finish after a corner kick. Despite a brief resurgence in the second half, China's young squad, featuring 2006-born players Kuai Jiwen and Wang Yudong, struggled to break through South Korea's disciplined defense.
Caretaker coach Dejan Djurdjevic acknowledged the team's difficulties, stating, “They scored early and played smoothly, which put us under pressure.” He emphasized the need to regroup ahead of Saturday's match against Japan, noting injuries had limited lineup options. “We’ll focus on preparing the players for better performances in upcoming games,” he added.
The result underscores the competitive gap between the two sides, with Djurdjevic admitting South Korea “fully deserved their win.” Analysts will watch closely as China seeks to rebound in a tournament serving as a testing ground for emerging talent.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com