Chinese forward Wang Yudong dribbles the ball during the Under-23 Asian Cup match against Thailand on January 14, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: VCG

The Chinese national under-23 football team qualified for the U23 Asian Cup knockout stage for the first time in history after holding Thailand 0-0 on Wednesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The result means that the Chinese team qualifies for the quarterfinals as the runners-up in Group D, after Australia edged out Iraq 2-1 on Wednesday. 

Chinese goalkeeper Li Hao was a standout, making a series of crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet in the game, reinforcing the team's confidence that they can compete under pressure. 

Throughout the group stage of 16 teams, only China and Japan maintained clean sheets after three games. Asian football leading Japan scored 10 goals, compared to China's only one goal. 

"Keeping a clean sheet throughout the group stage reflects our long-held belief as a team," Chinese team captain and central midfielder Xu Bin told the match broadcaster during a pitch-side interview. 

"Everyone, the players, the coaching staff and the support staff, has been fully united, and our mindset has been to fight for victory in every match."

The Chinese under-23 national team will take on Uzbekistan on Saturday in the quarterfinals.

"We have played Uzbekistan twice before, and they are a very strong side at the Asian level," Xu said. "But we have confidence in ourselves. The key for us is to focus on doing our own job well."

The Chinese team needed only a draw with Thailand to progress to the knockout stage, a condition which witnessed the senior national team often being eliminated previously.

Under the guidance of head coach Antonio Puche, the Chinese U23s have surprised many observers in this tournament. 

Though the opening match against Iraq ended in a goalless stalemate, the Chinese team showcased a disciplined defensive shape and tactical maturity beyond what past editions suggested. 

In their second outing, defender Peng Xiao scored the decisive goal against Australia, a result that not only boosted morale but also set the team up for the Thailand showdown. 

Many Chinese fans and commentators highlighted the performance of keeper Li for his critical saves that helped the team remain unbeaten in the tournament. 

Li previously had a stint with the reserve team of Spanish club Atletico Madrid before making regular appearances in the CSL with Qingdao West Coast last season.

"Finally we are having our Courtois," a netizen posted on Chinese sports fans platform zhibo8, referring to Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois of Belgium. 

Yuan Jia, a Beijing-based football commentator, praised Li's reflexes.

"With three matches played and no goals conceded, Li deserves enormous credit.  His reflexes in front of goal were simply exceptional," Yuan said. "Of course, the entire defensive structure performed brilliantly too. Having needed only a draw to advance, the players held their nerve under pressure." 

Historically, China's U23 results at the Asian Cup have been underwhelming. Since the tournament's inception in 2013, the team had never progressed beyond the group stage in previous five appearances. 

While China's U23 have historically failed to capitalize on this route, advancing to the knockout round signals that the current crop of talent is edging closer to the level required for continental competition. 

Progressing from the group is more than just a statistical breakthrough for China, it also signals substantive growth within a generation of players that includes several who have already featured in senior national team contexts.

Squad members such as forward Wang Yudong and midfielder Behram Abduweli played prominent roles during the U23 Asian Cup qualifiers and have since been earmarked as emerging talents in Chinese football.

Chinese player Behram Abduweli (left) controls the ball in the match against Thailand in their last Group D match at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup on January 14, 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: VCG

Several players in the current Chinese U23 squad, including the aforementioned Wang and Behram, were called up for senior Chinese national team to compete in the World Cup Asian qualifiers in 2025. 

For many years, Chinese football has wrestled with the challenge of translating potential into performance at major tournaments. 

Poor showings by the senior men's team in World Cup qualifying and other competitions have often overshadowed the promise seen in youth ranks. 

In recent years, the Chinese Football Association has been investing heavily into the junior national teams and arranged quality friendlies for the team to strengthen their international match experience.

The possibility that China could finally break through at the U23 Asian Cup is being framed as a potential turning point.

Huang Jianxiang, a prominent football commentator, wrote on Sina Weibo that the knockout stage qualification was a much-needed result for Chinese football.

"Three matches unbeaten and no goals conceded, the players were absolutely brilliant," Huang said. "Chinese football has been going through a difficult period, and it really needed a result like this."