"Regardless of winning or losing, stay by our side."

In a video released by the East Asian Football Confederation (EAFC) official media, Dejan Jurjević, the acting head coach of the Chinese national football team, delivered a message to fans. Jurjević said, “I hope the fans continue to believe in the Chinese team. It's always easier to support a winning team. The Chinese team has always believed in me, and the fans are truly passionate.”

Currently, China is participating in the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship being held in Korea. The men's division includes four countries: Korea, China, Japan, and Hong Kong, competing in a league format to determine the champion. In the opening match on the 7th, China suffered a 0-3 defeat against Korea. This loss was particularly shocking as it was against a Korean team comprised largely of 'essentially a second-string' squad.

Initially, China aimed for a turnaround in this tournament. After sacking head coach Branko Ivanković and transitioning to a system under Dejan Jurjević, the team featured young players to implement organized changes. Furthermore, since this tournament is not during a FIFA-designated international match window, both Korea and Japan are composed solely of domestic players, raising expectations.

However, the reality was harsh. In the match against Korea, China recorded not a single shot on target and collapsed helplessly. Korea entered the match with an experimental three-back system, featuring several new faces, including Kim Bong-soo who made his A-match debut and Kim Moon-hwan who returned after a long absence. Despite this, China was powerless. Beginning with a fantastic curling goal by Lee Dong-kyung in the 8th minute, the game displayed one-sided scoring as Joo Min-kyu and Kim Joo-seong also found the net.

In China, the defeat was described as a 'shocking loss' beyond mere defeat. Commentator Liu Jianhong lamented, “Korea is Asia's top-tier, and China is third-tier. Even with just K League players, China cannot compete.” Among fans, a sense of resignation emerged, with some saying, “Now we have no expectations at all.”

NetEase noted, “This was a disappointment of a different dimension from the losses under Ivanković. Jurjević tried to implement some changes, such as using double defensive midfielders, but the results were even more disastrous, emphasizing the severity of the situation, especially since Korea was not even at full strength.”

China's focus is now on the match against Japan on the 13th. However, it is difficult to find an atmosphere aiming for a victory or even a draw. NetEase stated, “The realistic goal for the Chinese national team is to concentrate on defense and aim for at least one goal through set pieces,” adding, “It is a given that Japan will win, and the best outcome for China would be to manage a loss by a margin of less than three goals.”

Jurjević, as the interim coach, faces the difficult task of managing back-to-back matches against Korea and Japan. He expressed his gratitude for the unwavering support from Chinese football fans, stating, “Always support the team, and when the team wins, rejoice, and when it loses, be sad, but always remain by our side.”

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