Chinese fans lower expectations as national team held to goalless draw

Chinese national football team players have fun in a training session in Doha, Qatar, on January 11, 2024. Team China will face Tajikistan in their first group match at the 2024 Asian Cup on January 13. The other two teams in Group A are Lebanon and Qatar. Photo: VCG

Chinese fans were bemoaning a referee for canceling a goal from China on Tajikistan that ultimately led to a scoreless draw in China's opening match at the AFC Asian Cup on Saturday night, as the national team prepares for the group game against Lebanon. 

The contentious moment occurred in the second half when Zhu Chenjie's header was ruled out by the referee, who deemed that another Chinese player was in an offside position following a VAR intervention.

Despite the disappointment, head coach Aleksandar Jankovic refused to use the disallowed goal as an excuse for not securing a victory. 

"Blaming the referee is an easy excuse, but 'sniveling' doesn't work in the soccer world, complaining won't solve the problem," Jankovic was quoted as saying after the game. 

The Serbian admitted that the players felt pressure in the first half of the game and adjustments were "essential" before the next match against Lebanon.

"We have to start with our own problems and try to get three points in the next game," he said.

The latest FIFA rankings place China at the 79th position, while Tajikistan is positioned at 106th. However, the first half of the match saw Tajikistan taking more shots than the Chinese team.

The midfield proved to be a significant area of concern for the Chinese team during the game. Statistics show that Tajikistan led 20-10 in shooting, leading to the topic "Yan Junling is very busy," referring to China's goalkeeper blocking the opponents' shots, to start trending on social media on Sunday. 

The Chinese team struggled to transition from defense to offense, often committing errors in ball distribution or losing possession, making it difficult to execute passes forward, according to Chengdu-based sports commentator Mao Jiale. 

"The team cannot effectively switch from defense to offense in the midfield. Whether it's due to passing errors or losing possession, they are unable to produce the expected passing and connection plays," Mao told the Global Times. 

"The few threatening attacks the team had were mostly achieved through counterattacks, relying heavily on direct plays on the flanks."

As the current 24-team Asian Cup allows more than the top two teams from each group to qualify for the second round, there is also hope for advancement for the four best third-placed teams in the six groups.

The national team will go on to take on Lebanon on Tuesday, their second group match which is likely to be decisive for their Asian Games campaign. 

The stalemate in Doha has put extra embarrassment on Chinese soccer, after a high-profile documentary exposed a graft scandal in the sport in China, which placed mounting pressure on the already underachieving national team. 

"The only way to avert the negative public opinion toward Chinese soccer is to deliver better performances and results on the pitch," Mao told the Global Times. 

"The team needs to lift their spirits, and the next match against Lebanon is likely to be a decisive one."

The Asian Cup was originally scheduled to be held in China in 2023, until the country conceded the hosting rights in 2022.