U-19 team hoping to restore national pride after senior defeats
On Saturday, China's men's under-19 national soccer team will begin its campaign in the Asian Football Confederation's U-19 Championship, fighting for a place in next year's FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The team will attempt to restore some pride for Chinese soccer fans, distraught at the national senior team's losses to Syria last week and Uzbekistan on Tuesday, leaving the nation's hopes of competing in the 2018 FIFA World Cup slimmer than ever. Gao Hongbo, who assumed the role of team coach in February, resigned after the defeat by Uzbekistan.
The senior team only squeezed into the final qualification stage at the last minute, when it beat Qatar to become the fourth-best runner-up from eight groups. Only four of the best-placed runners-up were eligible to advance to the next phase of the competition.
