Under the bright lights of Hohhot, hosts China roared into the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup semifinals with a sweeping 6-0 victory over Indonesia. Maintaining flawless form, the Chinese side becomes the only team to win all their group matches and now stands on the brink of booking a World Cup berth.
It took just 13 minutes for substitute Zhan Zewen to break the deadlock, firing a powerful strike into the top corner and sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Early in the second half, a long-range attempt by Zou Yinglan was denied, but midfielder Fan Yuqiu was first to react, slotting home the rebound and doubling the lead.
China’s momentum continued as Zhang Rui made it 3-0 with a clinical finish in the 48th minute. The floodgates opened further in the final 10 minutes, with goals from Jiang Xiaoyu, Yu Ting and rising star Xiong Jing sealing a commanding 6-0 scoreline.
“How many chances do we get in our life… and I am not as youthful as the others anymore… so I think this competition is really important. We are aiming for the World Cup and I think as long as we perform well, there won’t be a problem,” said Fan Yuqiu after the match, highlighting the team’s hunger for success.
Next up for China is a tough semifinal clash with Thailand. The two finalists, along with the winner of the third-place playoff, will earn a spot at the first-ever Women’s Futsal World Cup in the Philippines this November. For the hosts, the dream of lifting the trophy on home soil is very much alive.
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Hosts China beat Indonesia 6-0 to reach Women's Futsal Asian Cup semis
cgtn.com
