What a match! Substitute Zhu Pengyu came through big time, scoring twice to lead China into the last eight of the AFC U20 Asian Cup after a thrilling 5-2 victory against Kyrgyzstan on Saturday.
The game kicked off with China taking the lead in the 13th minute when Liu Chengyu finished a perfect cross from Kuai Jiwen. Kyrgyzstan fought back as Umar Madaminov equalized in the 25th minute 📈. But China's Wang Yudong coolly slotted in a penalty just before halftime, restoring the home side's advantage.
The second half got intense early on as Artem Istrashkin received a second yellow card, leaving Kyrgyzstan with 10 men 🚨. Mao Weijie didn't waste the chance, extending China's lead with a powerful header.
Kyrgyzstan wasn't done yet, with Yryskeldi Madanov giving them a lifeline in the 65th minute. However, Zhu Pengyu stepped up, nearly scoring earlier but hitting the crossbar. In the 80th minute, Zhu sealed the win by dribbling into the box and slipping the ball past the goalkeeper, followed by another header in injury time to complete the 5-2 scoreline 🎉.
Meanwhile, Australia also secured their spot in the quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over Qatar. With both Australia and China victorious in their first two group matches, they're all set for an exciting knockout stage ahead!
Reference(s):
China storm into AFC U20 Asian Cup quarters after defeating Kyrgyzstan
cgtn.com
