In the opening match of the Panda Cup friendly tournament in Chengdu on the evening of November 12, U22 Vietnam secured a 1-0 victory over hosts U22 China. The sole goal of the match was scored by Minh Phuc in the 81st minute.
Speaking after the match, U22 China coach Antonio Puche expressed his disappointment. He stated, “I am not satisfied with some aspects of U22 China but it’s not convenient to share them at this time.”
However, the Spanish tactician still offered words of encouragement to his players, while asserting that U22 Vietnam had a stroke of luck in their win. “This was a balanced match between two quality teams. U22 Vietnam capitalized on their opportunities well and were luckier. The result could have been 1-0, 0-0, or 0-1, all would be reasonable. I am pleased with the players’ efforts, although the team still has many areas to improve,” the 53-year-old coach emphasized.
In the match against U22 Vietnam, U22 China did not have their strongest squad as many key players were participating in the National Games. Meanwhile, their top star Wang Yudong suffered an injury before the tournament and was unable to participate.
Coach Puche admitted difficulties in squad rotation: “Many players today were not in good physical condition. Behram Abduweli cramped in the 75th minute, Xu Bin ran out of steam from the 70th minute, Xiang Yuwang is experiencing slight pain, and Li Zhenquan just played in a domestic league. We need to protect our players, otherwise, they will be exhausted.”
When asked about Wang Yudong’s situation, the Spanish strategist candidly shared: “He was truly exhausted, both physically and mentally. Wang told me he couldn’t continue playing. In such circumstances, should I still force him to play? I am responsible and need to protect my players. Letting Wang rest was the right decision.”
According to the schedule, U22 China will face U22 South Korea and U22 Uzbekistan in their next two matches. If they continue to perform unconvincingly, the host team could face the risk of losing all three matches and finishing last in the Panda Cup 2025.
Meanwhile, U22 Vietnam will meet U22 Uzbekistan in the second match at 2:30 PM on November 15. The team’s morale is high after their victory against the host nation.
Source link: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-trung-quoc-tuyen-bo-u22-viet-nam-thang-may-man-20251113010008415.htm
