The Chinese mainland opened their Group E campaign in the 2026 AFC Under-20 Womens Asian Cup Qualifiers with a commanding 6-0 victory over Syria on Wednesday night in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
The hosts dominated early: a brace from Lu Jiayu in the first 20 minutes set the tone, before Zheng Lu and Zhang Yiqian added second-half strikes to seal a 4-0 lead by halftime. Two more goals after the break capped a clinical performance.
“I was a bit nervous when I first stepped onto the pitch,” said Xiao Yafei. “But the home crowd really lifted me, and the team clicked well—this win boosts our confidence heading into the clash with Cambodia on Friday.”
Coach Colin Bell, whose squad featured several debutants, praised the effort but stressed there’s room for growth. “Our players showed spirit and skill, but we’ll stay focused and build on this result,” he noted.
In the other Group E encounter, Lebanon edged Cambodia 1-0, leaving all teams still in the hunt for a spot in the final tournament.
Reference(s):
China crush Syria 6-0 in AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup qualifier at home
cgtn.com