In an exciting display of young talent, China and Australia battled to a 1-1 draw in the under-19 Panda Cup held in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Saturday.
China took the lead early in the game when Mao Weijie set up Chen Zeshi, who neatly finished from close range in just the third minute. Demonstrating impressive skill, Mao later broke into the area, evaded two defenders, and assisted Wang with a precise shot into the bottom right corner.
Not to be outdone, the Australian \"Socceroos\" leveled the score in the 23rd minute. Daniel Bennie capitalized on a corner kick, heading the ball into the net to give Australia a well-deserved equalizer.
The first half saw China creating more opportunities, but Australia’s solid defense held firm, preventing China from increasing their lead. As the match progressed into the second half, Australia’s stamina shone through, leading to more aggressive and effective attacks.
In the 87th minute, Australia appeared to take the lead once again, but their goal was ruled offside, keeping the scoreline at 1-1. Both teams continued to push for the win in the remaining moments of the game.
China started the tournament strong with a 6-0 victory over Mongolia in their opener on Wednesday and is set to face Kyrgyzstan in their final game on November 19, aiming to secure a spot in the final.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
