Smoother road ahead on horizon
China's dream of World Cup qualification has once again been dashed, but the nation's pursuit of a soccer renaissance is headed in the right direction, with beefed-up initiatives for youth promotion and league development.
Team China's hard-fought 2-1 win over Qatar in Tuesday's final Asian qualifier for next year's World Cup provided a booster shot for long-suffering fans, but the pain of failing to advance to the marquee tournament for the fourth time in 15 years quickly triggered a nationwide lament as the hashtag #2018 World Cup journey ends# on Sina Weibo attracted an astounding 2 billion views within hours.
During a post-match interview with CCTV, Team China captain Zheng Zhi tried to remain upbeat while breaking down the 80th-minute penalty he converted to secure the win - but his deep sighs and knitted brow betrayed him.
