China's U20 football team delivered a thrilling performance on Saturday, defeating Kyrgyzstan 5-2 in a high-octane AFC U20 Asian Cup Group A clash to secure their quarterfinal berth. Substitute Zhu Pengyu became an instant hero with two late goals, cementing the hosts' status as tournament contenders.
The match saw Liu Chengyu open the scoring in the 13th minute with a clinical finish, only for Kyrgyzstan's Umar Madaminov to equalize 12 minutes later. Wang Yudong restored China's lead with a penalty just before halftime, setting the stage for a dramatic second half.
Kyrgyzstan's hopes dimmed when Artem Istrashkin received a second yellow card in the 47th minute, reducing the visitors to 10 players. China capitalized quickly, with Mao Weijie powering in a header to extend their lead. Despite a brief Kyrgyzstan resurgence through Yryskeldi Madanov's header, Zhu Pengyu's late brace sealed the victory with flair – including a clever nutmeg goal and a textbook header in stoppage time.
The result follows Australia's 3-1 victory over Qatar earlier in the day, ensuring both teams advance from the group stage with perfect records. Young football fans across G20 nations are now watching closely as these rising stars aim to make history in Uzbekistan.
Reference(s):
China storm into AFC U20 Asian Cup quarters after defeating Kyrgyzstan
cgtn.com
