With the night falling low and the evening wind blowing gently on the 20th of Beijing time, the Chinese women's soccer team is about to start a new journey on the battlefield of the Asian Cup. Facing the challenge of Chinese Taipei, the team, after a disastrous defeat in the Olympics, is once again stepping onto the international stage with a combination of veterans, stalwarts and rookies. Despite the relatively low pressure of this year's Asian Cup, the fledgling women's soccer team is in dire need of rekindling their confidence with an exciting match. Head coach Shui Qingxia firmly expressed her ambition to win the title, but she also bluntly stated that India's hot climate and the shadow of the epidemic made the women's soccer team's road to the title not only dependent on outstanding performance, but also an extra bit of luck.
A total of 12 teams will compete in this Asian Cup, divided into three groups, with the top two teams from each group and the best third-placed team advancing to the last eight. This is not only an Asian qualifier leading to the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia/New Zealand, but also a comprehensive test of the strength of Asian women's soccer. The withdrawal of the North Korean women's soccer team reduces the resistance for the Chinese women's soccer team to reach the World Cup final round. However, for many second-tier Asian women's soccer teams, this Asian Cup has also become an opportunity for them to touch their World Cup dreams.
On the 16th, the Chinese team arrived in Mumbai, India on a special plane, and Tang Jiali also successfully met with the team and passed the AFC's new crown test. According to the tournament schedule, the Chinese team will face Chinese Taipei at 18:00 on the 20th, Iranian women's football at 22:00 on the 23rd, and Indian women's football at 22:00 on the 26th. Unsurprisingly, there should be no doubt that the group will come out of the tournament. The Chinese team also hopes to improve morale through the group stage, show the team's spirit, and strive to go farther in the Asian Cup.
In the Olympic Games, the performance of the Chinese women's soccer team shocked domestic fans, with one draw and two losses in three matches, conceding 17 goals. This year's Asian Cup is a crucial task for the Chinese women's soccer team to improve their morale and reshape their image. In the pre-match conference, head coach Shui Qingxia and captain Wang Shanshan both emphasized the importance of showing the team's spirit, which is of great significance to this brand new national team.
