Photo: VCG

 
China's U16 men's football team staged a thrilling comeback on Sunday to defeat Australia 5-2, clinching the championship at the Chinese Football Association (CFA) Under-16 International Tournament in Hohhot, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with an unbeaten record of two wins and one draw.

Australia opened the scoring just two minutes after kickoff, capitalizing on a throw-in tactic to take the lead. In the 10th minute, China's Liang Shiyu unleashed a powerful shot that was parried by the Australian goalkeeper, allowing Wan Xiang to follow up and level the score. China continued to pressure the Australian defense, and in the 40th minute, Shuai Weihao found the far corner to put the hosts ahead.

China extended its lead in the second half when Liang Shiyu headed home in the 71st minute. Australia pulled one back in the 79th minute after Li Junpeng accidentally deflected the ball into his own net. China responded decisively, with Zhang Bolin scoring in the 81st minute and Xie Jin adding another two minutes later, sealing a 5-2 victory.

The tournament featured four teams: China, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. China had earlier beaten Saudi Arabia 2-1 and drew 2-2 with Vietnam.

After the match, Ma Dexing, a commentator from the Titan Sports newspaper, noted that this was the first time they had played in front of home fans since the establishment of the 2009-born team in March last year. He described the experience and development gained as more significant than the championship itself. He added that the quality of the guest teams ensured a high-level tournament, and that China demonstrated they could compete on equal footing with top Asian opponents.

Attendance figures highlighted the tournament's popularity: nearly 12,000 fans attended the opener against Saudi Arabia, while heavy rain reduced turnout to 9,234 for the match against Vietnam. The final against Australia drew 17,511 spectators.

Ma further noted that the large crowds helped young players train their focus on the game despite the large crowds. However, he cautioned that the tournament also exposed weaknesses, including the team's lack of depth in defense and potential mindset shifts among the players that will need to be addressed.

China's U16 team will next compete in the AFC U17 Asian Cup in May next year, where they will aim to qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup.

Global Times