Zhang Yuning (right) of China competes for the ball during the men's football Group B match between China and Iran on day one of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya at Wave Stadium Kariya on September 20, 2026 in Kariya, Aichi, Japan. Photo: VCG

China's under-23 football team was held to a 0-0 draw with Iran in Kariya, Japan at the Asian Games on Sunday, securing a valuable point to keep their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage firmly in their own hands.

Despite the Chinese team having difficulty in creating clear scoring opportunities, head coach Antonio Puche said his team had produced a strong performance.

"I think we did an excellent game in many aspects such as positioning, tactics and intensity. We know it is difficult to compete against a team like Iran," Puche told reporters through an interpreter after the game. 

Iran coach Hossein Abdi acknowledged the difficulty of breaking down China's defensive structure.

"China's team tried to defend deep, but they were very compact, and they stayed very complex. They defended with several layers," he told reporters.  

Puche told the Global Times that the team had continued trying to build attacks and penetrate Iran's defense despite the physical nature of the contest.

"We tried boldly and bravely to play through and organize with the ball, and we had some opportunities that came very close to scoring," he told the Global Times. 

The Chinese team, which opened its campaign with a 2-1 comeback victory over North Korea on Wednesday, only made several substitutions late in the game, but Puche said the changes were largely prompted by physical concerns rather than dissatisfaction with the starting lineup.

"The starting players were in very good condition, so I didn't want to make changes that might disrupt that state," he said. 

He also played down the temptation to look beyond the final group match.

"All the opponents are evenly matched. There is no weak team," Puche said. "Right now, our focus is on the next game. We need to prepare well and organize ourselves for the match against the UAE." 

The draw leaves both China and Iran on four points heading into the final round of Group B matches, with China scheduled to face the UAE in Toyota on Wednesday and Iran to meet North Korea.