Head coach Gao Hongbo and his Chinese national soccer team have temporarily brushed aside all recent critics by humiliating archrivals South Korea 3-0 in an East Asian Championship Tournament match at the Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo Wednesday.
Gao, whose post was in question after Nan Yong, former head of the Chinese Football Association (FA), was taken into custody for alleged match-fixing and corruption-related issues, silenced mounting speculations in the best way as his team ended South Korea's 32-year unbeaten run against China.
The Chinese FA's new head Wei Di has winger Yu Hai to thank after the explosive young player headed in China's opener just five minutes into the first half.
Striker Gao Lin doubled China's lead in the 27th minute and midfielder Deng Zhuoxiang put the last nail in South Korea's coffin with a magnificent individual play fifteen minutes after the break.
China, which drew 0-0 in its first game against Japan, leads the four-team tournament on 4 points but Japan still has a game in hand.
China will play its last game against minnows Hong Kong Sunday.
China and South Korea, whose overseas players were absent throughout the tournament, both looked lively after the kickoff – but it was China that stunned its opponents with an absolute flying start.
Striker Qu Bo, whose initial cross was blocked, angled his second attempt from the right-hand side. Unguarded Yu Hai then steered his header toward the far post, which gave keeper Lee Woon-jae no chance at all.
Having conceded an early goal, South Korea looked desperate to find a quick equalizer and soon dominated the game territorially. Midfielder Lee Keun-ho's 19th-minute rocket nearly leveled the game up, but keeper Yang Zhi managed to punch it clear for a throw-in.
The South Koreans were punished again for their lame defense eight minutes later when playmaker Yao Hao stole a lame clearance from defender Kwak Tae-hwi just in front of the box. The 26-year-old Beijing Guoan player then flicked the ball to unmarked Gao Lin, who beat helpless Lee at the near post with a fine curler.
Gao had the chance to make it 3-0 before halftime when midfielder Zhao Xuri passed him the ball with just the keeper to beat in the 41st minute, but the 24-year-old's shot was knocked clear.
China continued to counterattack after the break and Gao's plan worked in the 60th minute when his boys extended their lead in style.
Midfielder Deng Zhuoxiang found himself in a lonely place after playing a one-two with Qu Bo, who dashed some 40 meters along the right side during the counter. The 2009 Chinese Super League Young Player of the Year deftly rounded off three defenders before slotting home China's brilliant third.
South Korea then laid siege to China's final third for the rest of the game, trying to at least pull one back. Their best chance for a consolation goal came in the 66th minute when Kim Jung-woo had his first-time shot past Yang Zhi, only for defender Rong Hao to clear the ball off the line.
"I'm very, very, happy about today's outcome," said an overjoyed Yu Hai. "We've done well offensively and kept our defense tight in the second half when the opponents roared back."
"I clearly knew that the game was ours when the first half ended," Yu added. "But given there is still one more game for us (against Hong Kong), every team has the chance (to win the trophy). We still have to play our best in the last game."
Having beaten a team that China hadn't managed to conquer since 1978, Chinese fans went absolutely crazy after the final whistle was blown, and few could believe their eyes when they turned on the TV midway through the game.
"I thought for a while the score was wrongly displayed," wrote a fan on sina.com. "But I soon discovered that February 10 is the date that we are going to remember for a long, long time."
"It was absolutely a joy to watch," he added. "Especially when the Chinese Lunar New Year is just around the corner."
相關中文閱讀：
中國男足10日在東亞足球錦標賽中上演好戲，以3：0戰勝宿敵韓國隊，一雪32年“恐韓癥”之恥。中國隊在國際Ａ級賽事中，對韓國已經連續32年非負即平，從未嘗過勝利是何滋味。近來的“打黑風暴”更是讓風雨飄搖的中國足球雪上加霜。在這公認的中國足球“谷底”中，背水一戰的中國隊卻奉獻出了先平日本，后勝韓國的佳績.
北京時間2月10日18:15，在日本東京征戰東亞四強賽的中國國家男足在味之素競技場來迎戰本屆比賽的第二個對手韓國隊。上半時第4分鐘，于海接曲波傳球頭球先拔頭籌。第26分鐘，韓國后衛郭泰輝解圍失誤，楊昊搶斷后妙傳郜林，后者單刀赴會破門。下半時鄧卓翔連過三人建功鎖定勝局。最終中國隊3比0戰勝韓國，打破了32年國際A級賽不勝韓國的紀錄。3比0也是中韓國家隊交鋒史上最大分差 |