by sportswrtiers Wang Haizhou and Xiao Shiyao
TOYOTA, Japan, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The rain had been falling since morning and showed no sign of stopping when the final whistle sounded at Toyota Stadium. China's players, their hair soaked and pressed against their foreheads, headed toward the touchline to celebrate a 3-0 win over Thailand and a place in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men's football semifinals.
More than 7,500 spectators had watched them run, challenge and score through the rain. What began as a campaign focused on getting out of the group had become a bid for a medal.
China went ahead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time. A free kick put Peng Xiao in a scoring position, and his effort resulted in a Thai own goal. Hu Hetao struck two minutes after the restart before substitute Zhang Yuning added the third in the 63rd minute.
Peng said his first thought after the opener was that China had secured a lead just before halftime. It gave the team an advantage for the second half, he said, and helped settle the players' nerves.
Having seen limited action in the group stage, Peng had prepared for every match as though he might start. "When the opportunity came, I only needed to seize it and do my part," he said. The coach, he added, had repeatedly told the squad that every player must be ready to contribute, whether starting or coming off the bench.
Not all of China's attacking work appeared on the scoresheet. Xiang Yuwang, making his first start of the Games, said he had relatively few touches in the first half. His task was to occupy Thailand's two center-backs and create space for his teammates. He enjoyed playing alongside both Kuai Jiwen and Zhang Yuning. "They have different strengths, but I like playing with both of them," he said.
The three-goal margin did not make the contest easy, Zhang insisted. Asked whether it had felt less demanding than China's group matches, he replied: "It wasn't easy." His explanation for how the team came through was brief: "Everyone was very united."
China had taken care not to underestimate Thailand. Kuai said the coaching staff had warned the players that their opponents could pose a serious threat and urged them to stay composed and follow the match plan.
Now Kuai is prepared to talk about a bigger objective. "Our goal is to win a medal," he said, adding that the team hopes to reach the final.
The bonds within the squad extend beyond the pitch. Asked whether Wang Yudong, who missed the Thailand match, had given him any special advice, Kuai said the two spend almost every day together and are "practically inseparable." There was no secret tip, he said; their friendship had carried on as usual.
China last reached the Asian Games men's football semifinals in Bangkok in 1998. This is its first appearance in the last four since the competition adopted its under-23 format, with overage players permitted, in 2002.
South Korea stands between China and the final. For Xu Bin, the fixture brings back a painful memory. He started against South Korea in the quarterfinals of the 2023 AFC U20 Asian Cup, when China drew 1-1 after the second half but lost 3-1 after conceding twice in extra time.
Xu described South Korea as one of Asia's strongest and most distinctive sides. China will study video of its opponent, he said, and prepare specifically for the challenges it presents in attack and defense.
Captain Wu Xi also looked beyond Saturday's result. China had felt pressure entering the knockout stage, he said, but the players carried out the coaching staff's instructions. "Reaching the semifinals with a scoreline like this is an affirmation of everyone's efforts," Wu said. Against South Korea, he wants the team to recover well, work together and give supporters another compelling match.
Goalkeeper Li Hao said China had prepared for Thailand's counterattacks and prevented its opponent from building momentum. His message for the semifinal was straightforward: "No matter who we face, we'll prepare with everything we have and give everything in the match."
China will play South Korea at Nagai Stadium in Osaka at 3 p.m. on Sept. 30.
The rain was still falling as China left Toyota Stadium. The team had gone unbeaten in four matches and achieved the goal it set at the start: progressing from the group. Peng said its ambitions had grown "more far-reaching and more firmly held" with each game. Asked about his own plan, he answered: "My plan hasn't changed."
In Osaka, the next part of that plan will be tested. As Kuai put it, China now wants to win a medal. ■
