"We didn't lose as a team, but because of the European-based players..." Chinese coach's pitiful moral victory after 1-2 comeback loss [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News]  China's national football team suffered a comeback defeat despite scoring against South Korea at the Asian Games for the first time in 40 years. The team offered a bitter display of self-consolation by blaming the loss on "the individual ability of the European-based players."
South Korea's national under-23 football team, led by coach Lee Min-sung, came from behind to beat China 2-1 in the men's soccer semifinal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan, on Sept. 30.
China made the better start. In the 23rd minute, Wang Yudong scored a surprise opening goal. It was China's first goal against South Korea at the Asian Games in 40 years, dating back to the 1986 Games. South Korea responded with Lee Young-jun's equalizer in the 33rd minute and Bae Jun-ho's winning goal in the 37th minute of the second half, ending China's run.




Antonio Puche, whose China side saw its bid to reach the final for the first time in 28 years since the 1998 Bangkok Games end, offered a self-serving analysis of the defeat through Chinese media outlet Zhibo8 after the match. Puche stressed, "Our players performed at a very high level," insisting that China was never inferior to South Korea in terms of team organization or tactics.
He added, "But individually, we were overwhelmed by the opposing players who play in Europe." It was a kind of moral victory in which China claimed to have played well as a team but ultimately lost because it could not overcome the superior individual ability of South Korea's European-based players. In fact, Lee Young-jun and Bae Jun-ho, who broke through China's compact defense to score, are both playing in Europe.
China had been wary of South Korea's record nine overseas-based players even before the match and sought an upset with a deep defensive block and physical play. Buoyed by the confidence of scoring against South Korea at the Asian Games for the first time in 40 years and winning their last two U-23 meetings, the Chinese side dreamed of a miracle. In the end, however, China could not contain the flashes of brilliance from South Korea's overseas-based players at crucial moments and had to abandon its 28-year dream of reaching the final.


[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter