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Chinese player Kuai Jiwen (No.10) competes for the ball in the match against Australia at the U20 Asian Cup in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, on February 18, 2025. Photo: VCG

The Chinese national under-20 football team finished the group stage in second place at the U20 Asian Cup in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, after being defeated 2-1 by Australia in a match featuring both teams' second-string lineups.

The Chinese team conceded two goals in 80 seconds starting from the 23rd minute in the first half until Shanghai Port winger, 18-year-old Kuai Jiwen, scored a volley in the 29th ­minute. The two sides traded shots in the second half but both keepers kept the sheet clean.

Kuai's performance was even hailed by Australia team captain Daniel Bennie as the duo shared a moment of conversation after the match.

Both China and Australia had already qualified for the quarterfinals before Tuesday's final group match. 

As the top four finishers of the U20 Asian Cup will qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2025, the group stage result means the Chinese team is just one win away from qualifying for the FIFA U20 World Cup, a tournament that the Chinese team has skipped for over two decades. 

Both China and Australia rotated their starting squad after securing knockout-stage berths before Tuesday's game. The rotated squad on Tuesday means there will be no Chinese player suspended for the quarterfinal match.

Though they suffered a defeat on Tuesday, the Chinese team's teamwork and tactical execution was impressive, which hugely boosted their popularity in Shenzhen.

"An obvious change off the pitch is that there are more spectators coming to watch the national under-20 team after they delivered quality performances in previous matches," Song Yu, a Shenzhen-based sports journalist, told the Global Times. 

The Chinese team's opponents in the quarterfinals, the top finishers in Group B, will be decided on Wednesday, after the last round of Group B matches - Iraq against Jordan and Saudi Arabia against North Korea. 

The quarterfinal match is scheduled to be played on Saturday afternoon.

Before Tuesday's match, China defeated Qatar 2-1 and Kyrgyzstan 5-2, demonstrating their powerful attacking ability. 

Speaking of China's prospects in the knockout stage, analysts underlined the home advantage and match experience as the deciders.

"The cheering from the stands can boost the players' morale and create a favorable atmosphere for the team, which is undoubtedly a significant advantage in the high-pressure knockout stage games," Wang Jin, a Tianjin-based sports commentator, told the Global Times. 

"Although the Chinese team has performed well in attack, there have been some problems in defense. Facing stronger opponents in the knockout stage, the team needs to improve the concentration and stability of the defense to avoid repeating these mistakes."

Ma Dexing, a seasoned football commentator, warned that the Chinese players match experience is likely to be a decider in the knockout stage.

"Most of the players in this Chinese U20 team lack experience in high-level international competitions," Ma warned. "The knockout stage is full of pressure and uncertainty, and the players' mental ability and on-the-spot adaptability will be severely tested."