China's U23 national football team advanced to the AFC U23 Asian Cup final for the first time, beating Vietnam 3-0 in the semi-finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Goals by Peng Xiao, Xiang Yuwang, and Wang Yudong secured the victory. They will face Japan in the final later this week.
(ECNS) -- China's U23 national team advanced to the final of the AFC U23 Asian Cup for the first time, securing a 3-0 victory over Vietnam in the semi-finals held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. The team demonstrated strong dominance throughout the match.
China opened the scoring two minutes into the second half, with Peng Xiao heading in from a corner in the 47th minute—his second goal of the tournament. Five minutes later, Xiang Yuwang doubled the lead with a low driven shot from outside the box.
In the 73rd minute, Peng Xiao scored again, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review ruled Li Zhenquan offside in the build-up. China controlled 65% of possession in the first half and repeatedly pressured Vietnam, a team that had impressed offensively earlier in the tournament with numerous goals.
Wang Yudong sealed the win in stoppage time, finishing from close range with an assist from Baihelamu. Despite several changes in the starting lineup, China maintained control.
The final against Japan is scheduled for later this week. China had previously reached the knockout stage for the first time and beat Australia 1-0 in the group stage. This achievement marks a milestone for Chinese youth football.
