"Don't come back if you lose in Hong Kong."
The Chinese men's national football team, having suffered consecutive defeats in the East Asian Cup, will face Hong Kong in their final round on the afternoon of the 15th. Local media such as Zhibo.com and Tianjin Daily reported that "the only goal for the Chinese national team is to definitely win against their opponent."
China lost 0-3 to South Korea and then 0-2 to Japan. In fact, China has not scored a single goal throughout the tournament. Following the poor performance of the Chinese national team right after the match against Japan, the media has turned its back.
Sohu.com noted, "Forward Zhang Yuning missed a one-on-one chance with the goalkeeper. Did he come out with his soccer shoes in a bag? Defender Zhang Shenglong appeared perplexed like a rookie. The central defense was terrible. They showed a similar dismal performance against South Korea."
China will face Hong Kong, which also has two losses, in the third-place playoff.
Sohu.com reflected, "China unfortunately lost 0-2 to Japan, the strongest team in Asia. China has not secured a victory against Japan in 10 matches in the East Asian Cup, with 5 draws and 5 losses. This curse seems impossible to shake off. Fans hope for China's first win, but if things continue like this, the match against Hong Kong will not be easy."
The Chinese national team desperately needs a victory against Hong Kong, who have objectively weaker strength. However, Chinese football, which has lost competitiveness in recent years, can no longer overwhelm Hong Kong. In fact, in a pre-match evaluation before last year's Asian Cup, China experienced a shocking defeat, losing 1-2 to Hong Kong.
Zhibo.com analyzed, "The Chinese national team has conducted its final training under the rain. They used a five-man defense against Japan, but for the match against Hong Kong, they are expected to seek scoring opportunities through defensive adjustments and midfield pressure. The changes in player composition under Interim Coach Zhurevich will be crucial for the outcome."
He added, "Although Hong Kong's strength is weak, the recent poor performance of the Chinese national team suggests that this match will not be easy either. If they miss the win, Chinese football will once again be embroiled in a fierce public opinion backlash. High-ranking officials in the football association are taking this match very seriously."
Meanwhile, for China, the match against Hong Kong is a game where their last pride is at stake. There is a level of pressure different from when they lost to South Korea and Japan. Zhibo.com emphasized, "The Chinese national football team, trapped in a losing streak. If they miss the win against Hong Kong, the aftereffects will be beyond imagination. In the last round, China must only win."
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