"Our level is not good enough." On the 10th (Korea time), China's 'Zibo.com' reported, "After the 0-3 defeat against Korea, the Chinese national football team has begun to revise its defensive tactics ahead of the match against Japan," adding, "Learning from the Korean match, which crumbled after daring to confront with a four-back formation, we will adopt a five-back system concentrating everyone's efforts on defense."
China suffered a 0-3 defeat against Korea in the opening match of the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship held at Yongin's Mir Stadium on the 7th. Challenging for the championship, Korea made a good start. Following a commanding victory, Korea is set to clash against Hong Kong on the 11th and Japan on the 15th.
All matches are held in Yongin. The final rankings will be determined based on the results of the three matches. That day, coach Hong Myung-bo's team tested several players based on a surprising three-back formation. They did not concede a single goal. Korea showcased overwhelming offensive power. With a higher level of movement and build-up, they dismantled China's strong high press, easily creating opportunities. The opening goal came early. In the 8th minute of the first half, Lee Dong-gyeong opened the scoring with a fantastic left-footed shot. After that, Korea continued to dominate the play. In the 21st minute of the first half, they added another goal with a powerful header from Jo Min-kyu following Lee Tae-seok's cross. In the 12th minute of the second half, Kim Joo-sung scored his debut international goal, extending the lead to 3-0. China failed to create any noteworthy shooting opportunities. In the second half, despite utilizing several substitutes, including naturalized Brazilian player Cai Erjinao (Serginho), things did not go as planned. They were defeated 0-3.
In China, a belief has formed that a defeat against Korea is inevitable. Chinese commentator Liu Jianhong noted on his social media account after the match, "Korean football is top-tier in Asia, while Chinese football is third-tier. This match saw a top-tier team (Korea) perform well, and a third-tier team do as expected. China's 0-3 defeat was a natural outcome."
He further stated, "Korea can easily overpower China even with only K League players, without overseas players. In contrast, China lags far behind in every aspect, whether individual or organizational, in experience and in mentality. This defeat clearly illustrates that reality." After the match, acting coach Zhurievich explained the reason for using a center-back as a side defender in the first game against Korea, saying, "I had no choice but to utilize existing resources due to injuries on the left side." Indeed, the unavailability of all starting left backs due to injuries influenced the coach's decision, as China's full-back resources did not meet expectations.
In response to the coach's comments, China's 'Zibo.com' expressed dissatisfaction, stating, "Despite the Korea team participating in the East Asian Cup being close to a 'second-string' in strength, coach Hong Myung-bo thoroughly analyzed the Chinese team with tactics that dominated the match. On the other hand, the Chinese national team struggled throughout the game with no clear improvement, which is absurd."
Meanwhile, the Chinese men's football team conducted an outdoor joint training session at Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 10th, changing their formation from a four-back to a five-back in preparation for actual matches. Following their shocking defeat against Korea in the first round, acting coach Zhurievich also abandoned the insistence on attacking football and opted for a more realistic defensive-centered strategy against Japan's fast and precise tactics.
Zibo.com reported, "The coaching staff ordered the players to focus on maintaining defensive spacing, reaction speed, and physical management while noting Japan's organization, individual skills, and offensive capability that led to a 6-1 victory. Although the Japanese team is mainly composed of domestic players, they are demonstrating a high level of tactical completion with strong high pressing and meticulous movement."
The media emphasized, "Having already confirmed the skill gap in the match against Korea, the players training under the hot weather in Yongin and Suwon seem to be struggling with the heat and intense workouts. To recover from the skill and organizational shortcomings revealed in the match against Korea, the Chinese national team is expected to use the match against Japan as a 'practical training ground' emphasizing defensive organization and tenacity."
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