Notably, it marked the first time in nearly five years that our soccer team scored in front of the Japanese goal. Going back to the 2019 East Asian Cup, Jin Jingdao's clever assist to Dong Xuesheng sealed the deal, even though the national soccer team lost that 1-2 matchup. Looking at international tournaments, that breakthrough occurred at the 2004 Asian Cup, where the national soccer team went down 1-3 to Japan, with Li Ming being the only player to score for China.
It is worth noting that Li Ming, who scored for China in the tournament, is now the head of Beijing Guoan. Lin Liangming, who now plays for Beijing Guoan in the Chinese Super League, was the one who recognized Li Ming's talent and made it possible for Guoan to take in this soccer prodigy. Lin Liangming's path to soccer has not been a smooth one, as he graduated from the Guangzhou R&F Soccer School and joined Real Madrid's U19 team at the age of 18, before being promoted to Real Madrid's second team, Castilla, at the age of 19, where he made seven appearances and contributed two assists.
After leaving Real Madrid, Lin Liangming moved to Portugal, joining Gondomar and being loaned to Madeira Mariners. But during his time in Europe, Lin Liangming rarely had the opportunity to play, almost missed the golden years in Europe. 2020 winter, Lin Liangming chose to return to China, joining the Dalian People's Team. In his four years in Dalian, Lin Liangming played 86 games, collecting 26 goals and 8 assists.
With the dissolution of Dalian, Lin Liangming faced the challenge of finding a new home once again. Last winter, he finally chose Beijing Guoan. In his first season at Guoan, Lin Liangming won the trust of the coaching staff with his outstanding performance and became a key member of the national soccer team's front field. Lin Liangming scored his third goal for the national team with a hammer blow in a crucial match against Japan, and he also scored in previous warm-up matches against Myanmar and Malaysia.
Lin Liangming, who made his name at Real Madrid, has spent a few underwhelming seasons in Europe and has now become a bright local jewel in the Chinese Super League. Today's goal against Japan not only recognizes his talent, but also makes him live up to his reputation as a "Real Madrid veteran"!
