China U23 defeated Uzbekistan U23 after a penalty shootout.
On the evening of January 17th, the Chinese U23 team defeated the Uzbekistani U23 team in the quarterfinals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship. The focal point of this historic victory was goalkeeper Li Hao. Chinese media showered him with praise for his outstanding performance, not only in the thrilling penalty shootout in the quarterfinal but also throughout the team's journey in the tournament.
Li Hao became the hero for the Chinese U23 team at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship (Photo: AFC).
The Xinmin Evening News published an article titled "A good goalkeeper is worth half a team," praising the Chinese U23 goalkeeper as follows:
"China's U23 team caused a sensation at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship by reaching the semi-finals for the first time in history, and the hero was none other than goalkeeper Li Hao. His outstanding performance clearly demonstrated that a truly good goalkeeper can carry half the team's strength, especially for teams considered 'underdogs'."
In a dramatic quarter-final match last night (January 17th), the Chinese U23 team held title contender Uzbekistan to a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes of nail-biting play. They then won 4-2 in a tense penalty shootout to secure their place in the semi-finals. This marks the first time in 22 years, since 2004, that the Chinese men's football team has reached the semi-finals of a continental tournament.
The penalty shootout was incredibly tense. After Liu Haofan, Peng Xiao, and Xiang Yuwang successfully converted their penalties, Uzbekistan's third penalty hit the post, giving China a chance. However, Shenhua's young player Yang Haoyu missed, heightening the drama. At that crucial moment, Li Hao once again shone, saving Uzbekistan's fourth penalty. Immediately afterwards, Wang Bohao scored, sending China U23 into the semi-finals of the U23 Asian Cup.
Looking back at the entire match, Li Hao made 10 outstanding saves against the immense pressure of 28 shots from Uzbekistan. He was voted Man of the Match with a perfect score. Statistics show that in the last four matches of the tournament, Li Hao made a total of 26 saves, achieving a success rate of 94%, leading the list of goalkeepers with the most saves. He is also the only goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in both regular time and extra time, and set a new record of "four clean sheets" in the history of the U23 Asian Championship, proving his ability to "make saves in incredible situations".
Li Hao is in excellent form at the U23 Asian Championship, having only conceded one goal (Photo: AFC).
After the match, Li Hao was lifted into the air by his teammates in jubilation. In an interview with the media, the young goalkeeper couldn't hide his emotions: "The feeling of winning is the best!" He also set a higher goal for the team ahead of the semi-final match against Vietnam U23: "We want to go even further."
Head coach Antonio lavished praise on his pupil: "I've worked with Li Hao since he was 14, I know him very well. Li Hao's character and mentality are truly outstanding." Even Uzbekistan's head coach, Ravshan, showed respect for his opponent: "The Chinese goalkeeper made some very impressive saves. He saved the team many times throughout the tournament. Our shots lacked decisiveness, while the goalkeeper's reflexes were outstanding. He has a very bright future."
At the age of 21, Li Hao has shown maturity far beyond his years. In the 2025 season, he played 29 matches for Qingdao West Coast, keeping 8 clean sheets. His development at Atletico Madrid's youth academy, combined with regular playing experience in the Chinese Super League, gives him a significant advantage during the generational transition of goalkeepers in the Chinese national team. Li Hao possesses a modern "sweeper" style similar to Neuer, excellent reflexes, good judgment, spatial awareness, and a rare "save-making instinct," qualities that have led to him being considered one of Asia's top promising goalkeepers.
Li Hao is a product of Atletico Madrid's youth academy in Spain (Photo: AFC).
According to several sources, European clubs, including Wolverhampton Wanderers (Premier League), have sent scouts to directly monitor Li Hao. His background from Atletico Madrid's youth academy also shows he is fully capable of adapting to the European football environment. If he continues to maintain his consistent form, Li Hao is expected to soon return to Europe, becoming a leading figure for Chinese football on the international stage, primarily as a goalkeeper.
Watch the entire 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship Finals on TV360 at https://tv360.vn. Enjoy a smooth multi-platform experience, rewind and replay, and free Viettel 4G/5G data.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/bao-trung-quoc-ca-ngoi-ngoi-sao-bang-nua-doi-tu-tin-truoc-u23-viet-nam-20260118154814693.htm
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