"It's literally a world of difference."
The Chinese men's national soccer team, led by Dejan Djurdjevic, defeated Hong Kong 1-0 in the third match of the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup) held at Yongin Mir Stadium on the afternoon of the 15th. China, having lost to Korea (0-3) and Japan (0-2), achieved its first victory, finishing the tournament in third place. Hong Kong recorded the lowest rank with three losses.
China had far more opportunities throughout the match, but their finishing was horrendous. The frustrating attacks continued, unable to score even when given the chance. To make matters worse, China displayed rough play, exhibiting 'kung fu soccer' and losing in sportsmanship.
China scored its first goal in the 20th minute of the first half. Huang Zhengwei, who exchanged passes with Zhang Yuning, scored with a diagonal shot using his right foot that rolled into the goal. China celebrated its first goal in the tournament after three games.
China wasted numerous goal-scoring chances. Hong Kong's fullback, Yu Jin-nam, was substituted after being injured due to a collision with a Chinese player.
Angered by China's persistent fouls, a Hong Kong player responded with violence in the second half. In the 10th minute of the second half, a Hong Kong player struck a Chinese player in the face. An enraged Zhang Yuning retaliated by tripping the Hong Kong player. The excited players from both teams tangled up, leading to a mass scuffle.
After the match, Djurdjevic remarked, "Finally, we secured our first victory in a friendly match. The young players fought well against strong teams like Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong in this tournament," expressing satisfaction.
However, the expressions of the Chinese reporters on site were not bright. This is because they were unable to achieve a decisive victory even against the weakest team, Hong Kong.
A Chinese reporter bluntly asked Djurdjevic, who is in an acting capacity, "Do you still want to be the head coach of the Chinese national team after the tournament ends?" Djurdjevic responded evasively, saying, "I think both you (the media) and I want victories. Thank you."
Another sharp question followed, "Are you satisfied with the tournament results?" Djurdjevic emphasized, "The opponent was too strong; it was a difficult match. I tried to give more opportunities to young players. The players need a long process. Players coming from youth have a long way to go to become national team members. They must grow through tournaments like this."
Meanwhile, finishing in third place in this tournament means that China has recorded third place in every East Asian Cup held since 2017. Even though the tournament featured no European players from Korea and Japan, a clear gap emerged in overall strength. Particularly noteworthy was the shocking struggle against the weakest team, Hong Kong.
[OSEN]