Wang stands tall against Saudis

Goalkeeper Wang Dalei was once plagued by controversy, but the former bad boy of Chinese soccer made a dream start to the Asian Cup with a man-of-the-match display against Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Wang was branded a national disgrace in 2010 when he called fans "dogs" and "morons" after China's loss to Japan at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, earning a suspension despite a groveling apology.

But the Shandong Luneng stopper proved his worth with a vital penalty save in the 1-0 win over the Saudis in Brisbane, a potentially priceless result as China strives to reach the quarterfinals.