Foundations laid for goal-den future

Signs positive for Chinese game as soccer shake-up kicks in

Despite recent setbacks on the international stage, China's soccer push has hit the back of the net on numerous other fronts to give long-suffering fans renewed hope for the future.

In the wake of another failed World Cup qualification campaign by Team China, the latest disappointment on the pitch was Shanghai SIPG's 2-1 aggregate loss to Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds in Wednesday's AFC Champions League semifinal.