Steel Roses back to their roots and back in bloom

The Chinese women's soccer team rekindled their famous fighting spirit to end a 16-year wait to lift the Asian Cup－capturing the imagination of ecstatic fans back home in the process.

Having trailed 2-0 in the final in Navi Mumbai, India, on Sunday night, the Steel Roses summoned all their determination and resolve to battle back and tie the game before Xiao Yuyi fired home a dramatic 93rd-minute winner from a Wang Shanshan assist to secure the title.

The victory earned China a record ninth Asian Cup title, as the Steel Roses atoned for their disappointing Tokyo 2020 campaign.

"We've put the past behind us and are looking to the future. Thanks to all the fans who kept supporting the Chinese women's soccer team, and we will keep trying hard in the future," Xiao wrote on social media after the game.

China has been indebted to a series of imperious performances in India from Tottenham midfielder Tang Jiali, former Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Wang Shuang and Wang Shanshan, with the latter claiming the tournament's MVP honor.

The trio scored a combined 14 goals, accounting for over 70 percent of the squad's tally at the Asian Cup. In addition to firepower, they contributed massively to China's immense defensive effort.

"After the first half, we encouraged each other and none of us ever thought about giving up. We tried the best we could and in the end we won," said Wang Shanshan.

"I'm so proud of us, and this is my first Asian Cup title. I want to thank the entire team and the coaches. This triumph is a new start for the Chinese women's soccer team. Through it, we showed the world our strength.

"Being named the MVP is also a huge honor for me. It's an acknowledgement of all my hard work. And again, I could not have achieved all this without the help and encouragement of the entire team."

The Steel Roses' victory completely dominated discussion on Chinese social media on Sunday night. The hashtag "Chinese women's team wins Asian Cup" was viewed over 1.1 billion times by Monday morning, but that was just one of 10 trending topics related to the women's team on Weibo.

The huge turnaround in fortunes from the team's humiliating groupstage elimination the Tokyo Olympics last summer made the win extra special for fans.

China's Tokyo 2020 participation ended with a shocking 8-2 thrashing at the hands of the Netherlands, underlining just how far Chinese women's soccer had fallen behind the game's elite nations. The exit also led to the resignation of head coach Jia Xiuquan.

The Asian Cup was the first international competition for Jia's successor, Shui Qingxia.

"Although the players come from different cities, we need to come together and show the spirit of the Chinese people as a team at these events. As a coach, I will set an example for them and I will use my expertise to guide them," said Shui.

A former China international, Shui won five Asian Cup titles as a player, from 1986 to 1997.

"I'm so thrilled that Team China could win its ninth Asian Cup title, and we never let our heads drop when we were 0-2 down. The players overcame both their rivals and themselves," Shui added.

"At halftime, I simply told the players not to give up. Anything could happen in the remaining 45 minutes. We should think less and fight hard. It's a great achievement to win this time, and we see a bright future ahead. Technically and mentally, we should march toward the right direction."

Contrasting fortunes

The victory also grabbed the imagination of Chinese soccer fans due to the stark contrast in fortunes for the men's national team, which last week sunk to a new low－a 3-1 loss to Vietnam which ended China's slim hopes of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup finals.

Compared with the men's Chinese Super League, which is famous for the high salaries of its players and coaches, the women's professional leagues in China attract much less attention.

However, after Sunday's victory, media and pundits urged for greater support for the development of the women's game.

"I hope the Chinese Football Association can give the women's team double the prize money of the men," said renowned Chinese sports commentator Huang Jianxiang.

A number of Chinese companies have already taken it upon themselves to reward the Steel Roses, with dairy giant Mengniu Group gifting the team 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) after its heroics on Sunday.

Now the challenge is to continue to revive past glories, such as the runner-up finishes at the 1996 Olympics and 1999 World Cup, as well as improve the standard of the domestic leagues and youth training to give the country a better chance of producing more players like Wang Shuang and Tang Jiali.

Sunday's win certainly showed that such targets are achievable, and former men's national team striker Li Yi summed up the mood of the nation when he wrote on social media: "I just cannot calm down, I'm so excited. The women's soccer team has great spirit and skill. A new coach can transform a team. They are our role models!"