China secured third place at the EAFF E-1 Football Championship, commonly known as the East Asian Cup, after a 1-0 victory over Hong Kong, China in Yongin, South Korea, on Tuesday.
China took the lead in the 20th minute when Huang Zhengyu finished off a well-orchestrated team move, with an assist from captain Zhang Yuning just outside the box.
Throughout the match, China maintained pressure, increasing the tempo and creating numerous attacking opportunities. Despite several attempts, the score remained unchanged, and China held on for the win at the final whistle.
Speaking after the game, China’s caretaker coach Dejan Djurdjevic highlighted the importance of the tournament for team development. “In such tough games, we are working to build a cohesive team by blending young and experienced players. This way, people can see the future of the national team and Chinese football,” he said.
Goalkeeper Yan Junling emphasized the value of giving young players exposure to high-level competition. “Many of them played for the national team for the first time. We improved with each match, and hopefully, they will take valuable lessons from these three games,” he remarked.
Captain Zhang Yuning noted that facing top Asian teams like Japan and South Korea underscored the need to raise the intensity of domestic league competitions. “I believe that as we continue to build chemistry through future games, we will have better prospects heading into tournaments like the Asian Cup and the World Cup,” he added.
In the other match, Japan defeated hosts South Korea 1-0, topping the standings with three consecutive wins and retaining their title.
