Chinanews.com, Beijing, December 3rd, title: The three teams broke through and made history!
What is the score of Asian football in the group stage?
Author Liu Xingchen
For the World Cup in Qatar, the Asian teams are obviously not passing by in a hurry.
In the early hours of the 3rd, Beijing time, when the game between South Korea and Portugal entered stoppage time, Sun Xingmin ran across half of the football field and then sent a through ball. Hwang Hee-chan followed up in the middle and scored with a push. The South Korean team overtook the score 2:1.
The picture shows the players of the South Korean team breaking through with the ball
When this score was maintained until the end, the Uruguay team in the same group failed to continue to score after leading 2:0, and the South Korean team advanced to the round of 16 with a goal difference advantage.
At that moment, Asian football made history.
Australia, Japan, and South Korea are the first three AFC teams to qualify for the group stage at the same time in a single World Cup.
The World Cup returns to the Asian continent after 20 years, and Asian football has been preparing for a long time.
This time in the group stage, how many points will you give the 6 AFC teams?
Excellent district: Japan, Australia, South Korea
Comments: Group qualifying, the light of Asia.
The picture shows the players of the Japanese team blocking the shots of the players of the Spanish team.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
In the group stage, the Japanese team was undoubtedly the best Asian team. They were in the "death group" and they defeated Germany and Spain, which were ranked 11th and 7th in the world, to qualify as the top of the group.
In the first game, the German team was reversed, and the Japanese team took the initiative at the last moment.
After the game, head coach Mori Hoichi said: This is an important moment in the history of Japanese football.
Even so, many people still attribute the victory of Japanese football to "luck".
In the last round against the Matador Legion, the number of successful passes of the Japanese team was almost 1/6 of that of the opponent, and the number of shots was less than half of that of the opponent.
The picture shows the players of the Japanese team with the ball
It is still the Japanese team that can accept 3 points.
With super high scoring efficiency, Japanese football has achieved a victory of "four or two strokes".
"Winning the Spanish team finally let the people know that our first victory over the German team is not a miracle, but inevitable." Tang Anlu, who came off the bench and scored the team's first goal, said.
With the European lineup and defensive counterattack, Japanese football has figured out their way to success.
As Morihoichi said, two victories make people believe that Asian football can beat the world powers.
The picture shows the Australian team players shooting.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
Objectively speaking, the outside world was not optimistic about the prospects of the Australian team before the expedition.
After all, their strength has declined in recent years, and they only took the last train to Qatar through the intercontinental play-offs of the World Preliminaries.
In the first match of the group stage, they lost to the defending champion France by a big score, and the "Kangaroo Legion" paid tuition for the young.
In this Australian squad, 17 players are making their World Cup debuts.
Compared with the lineup at its peak, today's Australia is still in the alternation of old and new.
However, they brought a pleasant surprise.
The picture shows the Australian team players with the ball
After defeating the Tunisian team in the second round, the Australian team ushered in a life-and-death battle with the European powerhouse Denmark.
Relying on veteran Lai Keli's counterattack goal, the Australians advanced to the top 16 with a "bus" victory.
Become the first team of the AFC.
Although few players in the Australian team have played in the five major leagues, their excellent physical condition and confrontational awareness may play a greater role in the knockout rounds.
The picture shows the goal of the South Korean team
At almost the last moment before the end of the group stage, "Asia's No. 1 brother" Sun Xingmin completed self-salvation, and the South Korean team successfully counterattacked.
The trip to Qatar is enough to test the psychological endurance of South Korean fans.
Due to the orbital fracture of his left eye before the World Cup, Sun Xingmin had to wear a protective mask to play in this event after undergoing surgery.
This undoubtedly had an impact on his form.
And when the opponent frantically encircled and suppressed the "Asian No. 1 brother", the pace of the South Korean team's scoring was also extremely difficult.
The picture shows South Korean team Sun Xingmin shooting
After losing 2:3 to the Ghana team in the second game, it was quite difficult for the "Tai Chi Tiger" who had only accumulated 1 point to break out of the group.
However, their desperation against the Portuguese team finally allowed them to interpret the saying "nothing is impossible on the football field".
After the game, Son Xingmin couldn't hold back his tears.
At that moment, the world also looked at Asian football with admiration.
When the South Korean team has more people to help Sun Xingmin share the pressure, can they go further?
Good areas: Saudi Arabia, Iran
Comments: Drive high and go low, with a slight difference.
The Saudi team may be the first Asian team to shine.
Because they reversed the Argentina team led by Messi 2:1, the latter had been unbeaten in 36 consecutive games before that.
Many people said that after defeating the "Pampas Eagle", Saudi Arabia showed the world football in the Middle East.
The picture shows a Saudi player taking a free kick
In the second battle, they lost 0:2 to Poland, but the Saudi team was the leading side in terms of possession rate and number of shots.
The lack of finishing touches prevented them from advancing ahead of schedule.
However, with the absence of several main players, the Saudi team failed to withstand the offensive of the Mexican team and was unfortunately out.
The Saudis' attacking football has been impressive in this World Cup.
They are not afraid of physical confrontation, and dare to press high even against the Argentine team.
Part of this is due to the careful training of the coach Renard, and the other part is a manifestation of the high degree of tacit understanding between the players of the Saudi team. Most of the players in the team come from the rising Saudi domestic league.
Although missed the promotion, as Renard said, this is the best generation of players in Saudi Arabia, and they still have more opportunities to make history.
The picture shows the goalkeeper Beranwand of the Iranian team making a save.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Cui Nan
After defeating England in the first game of the group stage, the Iranian team ushered in an epic lore.
Facing the Welsh team, they have nowhere to go.
In the 8th minute of stoppage time, Cesmi's shot broke the deadlock on the field.
After 3 minutes, taking advantage of the opponent's opportunity to press across the board, Lisaian scored a single-handed goal.
This is the first time the "Persian Cavalry" has defeated a European team on the World Cup stage.
However, in the last round against the United States, the Iranian team, which only needed a draw to advance directly, waited for a defeat.
After the game, the Iranian players slumped on the court and wept with regret.
Although it failed to continue to create history, the tough style shown by Iranian football has been remembered by the world.
The picture shows the Qatar team creating a dangerous situation in front of the opponent's goal
Areas for improvement: Qatar
Comments: Lose the present, win the future?
As the hosts, the Qatari journey is not destined to be considered a success.
In the face of the gap in strength, they became the only Asian team that did not win.
The title of "the weakest host in history" has already been awarded to the Qatar team by the fans.
But to some extent, the significance of Qatar hosting the World Cup goes far beyond the competitive level.
After increasing investment in football, the Qatar team ranks 5th in Asia and 50th in the world.
Five years ago, their world rankings were still outside the top 100.
If you lose the game, you don't necessarily lose the future.
Judging from the achievements made in the past few years, Qatar has found a model suitable for its own football career development, which is worth looking forward to.
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