"No Fear of Korea, Dawn Is Breaking"—Can It Boost China's Confidence? Local Media Revive 'Five Losses, Two Goals, 12 Conceded' [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] China, which reached the semifinals for the first time in 28 years, stands in the way of Lee Min-sung's South Korea as it races toward an unprecedented fourth consecutive Asian Games men's football title.
Yet China's momentum ahead of the decisive match is striking. Despite a long history of fear of Korea, China has drawn confidence from its recent winning streak against South Korea and declared that it is "not afraid of Korea."
South Korea's U-23 men's national football team, led by Lee Min-sung, will face China in the men's football semifinal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at 3 p.m. on the 30th at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan.
Chinese media and the team are highly charged ahead of the match. Zhiboba reported on a press conference held by China coach Antonio Puche and ran the provocative headline 'Unafraid of Korea.' Puche boldly declared, "We acknowledge that Korea is a strong team, but we are not afraid. We will work to create a miracle."
Chinese media have also openly expressed their hopes of ending the country's long-standing fear of Korea and securing a victory, using the phrase 'waiting for dawn to break.'

Ironically, their source of confidence is their 'recent record.' Looking only at the history of the Asian Games, China has been no match for South Korea. China has lost all five of its previous Asian Games meetings with South Korea. During those matches, China scored two goals while conceding 12. It was a textbook case of fear of Korea.
But the picture changes completely when the sample is narrowed to recent U-23 meetings. South Korea suffered shocking back-to-back defeats to China in a friendly in March last year and at the Panda Cup in November. That is the decisive reason China is brimming with confidence after putting its five-match Asian Games losing streak behind it.
China's run in this tournament has indeed been formidable. Built on the disciplined organization cultivated by Puche, the team completed the group stage without conceding a goal, recording one win and two draws. It then unleashed its previously hidden firepower in a 3-0 quarterfinal victory over Thailand. China has reached the Asian Games semifinals for the first time in 28 years, since the 1998 Bangkok Games.

South Korea, however, also cannot afford to back down in this match. With a record nine overseas-based players and a powerful attack, the team is squarely targeting the first-ever fourth consecutive Asian Games title. In China, South Korea's high press and rapid attacks down the flanks are viewed as the biggest threats, prompting considerable concern.
South Korea is seeking a fourth straight gold medal, while China hopes to settle a 28-year-old grievance. All eyes in Asian football will be on Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka on the 30th to see whether Lee Min-sung's team can erase the humiliation of its two recent U-23 defeats and once again instill a deep-seated 'fear of Korea.'
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter