"Riquelme," the "Milk God," ultimately didn't make it to Nanjing, and the South Africa World Cup quarterfinalist Paraguay team, playing with all their main players, seemed lackluster. Meanwhile, China's national football team, who had just been humiliated by Iran, appeared spirited.
Last night, in a 1-1 draw, "Coach Gao's Army" became popular again among fans. Gao Hongbo's bold statement of "Chinese football returning to the top tier in Asia" seemed possible once more.
"Milk God"? Didn't come! Paraguay? Fatigued!
Forcing a draw against a World Cup top eight team
The Chinese national team is red-hot again
Paraguay underestimated and overestimated themselves
On one side was the World Cup quarterfinalist Paraguay team, on the other was the Chinese team whose international ranking hovered around 70th. Even if Paraguay didn't field all their starters, defeating the Chinese team should have been effortless.
But the problem was, they didn't intend to play seriously against us at all. Still, appearances had to be maintained. At least head coach Gerardo Martino lined up Barrios and Santa Cruz as the forward duo. After all, it was this attacking combination that helped Paraguay reach the quarterfinals of the South Africa World Cup.
With the "halo" of being a World Cup top eight team behind them, the Chinese team could only look up to them in admiration. In the first seven minutes, Paraguay held absolute dominance on the field. The nimble footwork and solid fundamentals of the South American players left the Chinese players watching the ball roll back and forth helplessly. This scene continued until Barrios easily scored with a header from close range, making it 1-0.
After taking the lead, Paraguay played even more relaxed, continuing to threaten the Chinese goal from time to time. It seemed like a massacre was about to happen. However, Paraguay's nonchalant attitude angered the Chinese team, who began their counterattack.
Repeated breakthroughs by Feng Renliang and Deng Zhuoxiang, along with consecutive shots by main striker Zheng Lin, bore fruit in the 33rd minute. Deng Zhuoxiang made a through pass into the left side of Paraguay's penalty area, Feng Renliang cleverly crossed the ball from near the baseline, bypassing Paraguay's goalkeeper Vilar, and Zheng Lin rose to head the ball into the net from close range, equalizing the score at 1-1.
In the second half, the Chinese team, after bringing on several young players, even had a chance to win. If not for Chen Tao missing an open goal, a reversal might have truly occurred.
"Coach Gao's Army" is not weak against strong opponents
"Our preparation for the game was very thorough. Paraguay is a high-level opponent with many aspects worth learning from. Being able to draw with such an opponent is very exciting and joyful. However, we actually could have achieved a better result," said goal scorer Zheng Lin post-match.
Indeed, facing one of the World Cup quarterfinalists, Paraguay, Coach Gao Hongbo's Chinese men's football team once again gave everyone a pleasant surprise. They not only drew 1-1 with the opponent but also played football worthy of this draw.
Since the establishment of "Coach Gao's Army," out of six matches against teams that participated in the South Africa World Cup, they lost only one game. Drawing with Germany, drawing with Japan, losing to Portugal, defeating France, defeating South Korea, and now drawing with Paraguay who fielded their main players, the current national team's tenacity in front of world-class teams has been widely recognized by fans.
Achieving such results, one aspect is that the opponents in the friendly matches didn't go all out. However, another factor shouldn't be overlooked: in any match against strong teams, the Chinese team has been sticking to its own rhythm. Whether it's strategic containment or passive defense, the national team has been finding opportunities in its own way.
However, the 1-1 draw is just the beginning. Hopefully, the "floating" national team can stay calm and truly prove themselves in major tournaments.
(Source: Zhejiang Online - Today's Morning Post)