"If You're Going to Park the Bus, Do It Like China"... China's 'Real Swamp Football' Mocks South Korea's Clumsy Defense

[Financial News] This is not the "Shaolin football" that people used to mock China for. Right now, China are more pragmatic than anyone, and frighteningly solid. While South Korea fell apart against Japan, looking lost and indecisive, China have reached the brink of the Asian summit behind a "perfect shield."
The China under-23 national football team, led by Spanish coach Antonio Puche, thrashed Kim Sang-sik's Vietnam 3-0 in the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup semifinal held on the 21st (Korea time) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was China's first-ever appearance in the final, and they will now face Japan, who eliminated South Korea, for the trophy.
More shocking than the result itself are China's numbers. From the group stage through the semifinals, China have played five matches at this tournament without conceding a single goal. It is, quite literally, a "flawless defense."

For South Korean football fans, the implications are huge. South Korea, coached by Lee Min-sung, chose to sit deep and play on the counter against Japan in the semifinal. The outcome was disastrous. They were battered 1-10 on shots in the first half, the back line was loose, and the counterattacks blunt. It was the inevitable end of a half-hearted game plan that was neither a proper low block nor an all-out attacking approach.
China, by contrast, were decisive. No matter the opponent, they shut up shop thoroughly and finished the job with a clinical blow. Against Vietnam, they held out without conceding in the first half, then exploded for three goals in the second through set pieces and counters. China essentially delivered a textbook example of the pragmatic football South Korea had hoped to play. It was on a completely different level from South Korea's clumsy "ten men behind the ball"—a form of "real swamp football" that suffocated the opposition.
Fans who had been hoping for a "Korean coaches' derby" saw their expectations brutally dashed. Even Kim Sang-sik, who had guided Vietnam on a strong run to the semifinals, could not break through China's solid wall.

The deadlock between the two sides, who had gone toe-to-toe in the first half, collapsed as soon as the second half began. In the 47th minute, Feng Xiao opened the scoring with a headed goal from a corner. Five minutes later, Xiang Yuwang struck with a turning shot, and in stoppage time Wang Yidong added a clincher. China also showcased ruthless finishing, wasting no chances once they appeared. Vietnam lost their momentum to chase the game when defender Pham Ly Duc was sent off midway through the second half.
The situation has now taken on an ironic twist. South Korea, who liked to call themselves the "Tigers of Asia," are reduced to playing Vietnam in the third-place match, while China, long considered a step below, will battle "Asia's strongest" Japan for the title.
Through this tournament, China have clearly found their identity. They have learned how to avoid defeat, even without playing flashy football. South Korea, on the other hand, lost their sense of direction with the defeat to Japan. They neither locked things down as firmly as China, nor overwhelmed opponents with skill the way Japan did.
Can anyone still confidently say that "South Korean football is better than China's"? Judging by this tournament alone, the answer is "no." China have gone five games without conceding; South Korea managed just one shot on target.
People may not want to admit it, but this is where Asian football stands in 2026.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter