MK sport South China's Guangdong Province, on February 12, 2025. Photo: VCG" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2025/2025-02-12/9b3ff10a-c08f-4798-858f-91e108e831cd.jpeg" />

Liu Chengyu (No.9) of China scores against Qatar in their AFC U20 Asian Cup match in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, on February 12, 2025. Photo: VCG

Expectations are high for the Chinese team at the U20 Asian Cup after they secured a berth in the knockout stage after winning two group games.

The Chinese team will continue their campaign on Tuesday by taking on their Australian counterparts at the Shenzhen Bao'an Sports Center Stadium in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province.

In the first two rounds of Group A, both China and Australia have been in dominant form, notching up two consecutive victories to book their places in the quarterfinals. 

China defeated Qatar 2-1 and Kyrgyzstan 5-2, while Australia had an impressive 5-1 win over Kyrgyzstan and a 3-1 comeback victory against Qatar. 

Currently, Australia leads the group on goal difference, with China in second place. The outcome of Tuesday's match will determine the group winners, which will also decide the knockout-stage matchups.

China's under-20 team head coach Dejan Djordjevic has confirmed that he will rotate the squad for this match. 

With key forward Liu Chengyu suspended due to yellow card accumulation, it is likely that players like Du Yuezheng and Wang Haobin will get more playing time. 

The Chinese team's attacking duo, Wang Yudong and Zhu Pengyu, have been in good form in previous games. They will look to continue their goal-scoring form and lead the team's attack. 

In midfield, Yimulan Maimaiti's play-making ability will be crucial for controlling the tempo of the game. 

Defensively, the team needs to improve its coordination and prevent Australia's fast counterattacks.

Mao Jiale, a Chengdu-based sports commentator, noted to the Global Times that the team should strengthen its defense after proving their attacking skills.

"What the Chinese team needs to consider is actually how to further deal with matches that are highly intense, physically demanding, and played at a high tempo," Mao said. 

"How to handle the ball more rationally when the opposing team applies tight marking and high-pressure defense will be a decider for China in future competitions."

Australia's coach Trevor Morgan has indicated that he will make extensive rotations after the team has qualified for the quarterfinals.

Despite this, their overall strength should not be underestimated. Australia's strength lies in its wing attacks and set-piece plays, with their players' physicality and fast counterattacks posing a significant threat to the Chinese defense.

The two sides met in a friendly in November 2024, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw. This indicates that the two teams are evenly matched and that the upcoming game is likely to be a close contest.

As the top four finishers of the U20 Asian Cup can qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup automatically, both teams are eyeing preparations for the quarterfinals.

"We have overcome the tension of playing in front of home fans. Most of our players haven't had much exposure on the international stage, but we have now advanced to the knockout stage," Djordjevic said ahead of the clash against Australia.

In recent years, Chinese football has been working hard to promote the growth of young players, hoping to break through and cultivate more high-quality football talents. 

The performance of the national under-20 team has been considered an indicator to see if the talent cultivation methods have worked.

"The outcome of this game is important, but more importantly, it is an opportunity for the young players to showcase their skills and spirit, as well as a test of the two teams' tactical arrangements and teamwork," Zhang Bin, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times. 

Zhang also warned that expectations have sometimes been too high for a team whose players lack ­high-intensity football match experience.

"Most of the players in this team only have experience in relatively low-quality domestic matches in the China League One, China League Two, and even in the U21 and U19 leagues. These are completely different from the highly competitive continental competitions like the U20 Asian Cup," Zhang noted. 

"When their physical fitness starts to decline, more problems will be exposed. However, these issues can only be addressed after the tournament," Zhang added.