In a dramatic turnaround, China’s U17 national team secured a 2-0 victory over Qatar in the final group stage match of the AFC U17 Asian Cup, clinching a spot in the U17 World Cup for the first time in 21 years. The match, played in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday local time, saw China finish second in Group B after starting the tournament with two consecutive losses.
The team had earlier fallen 0-1 to Indonesia and 1-2 to Japan, leaving their chances slim. However, since no draws occurred in the first two rounds, China still had a mathematical chance going into the decisive third round. A goal in each half sealed the win against Qatar, while Japan beat Indonesia 3-1 in the other group match.
Japan topped the group with three wins, while China, Qatar, and Indonesia all finished with one win and two losses. China’s superior goal difference (+0) compared to Qatar (-2) and Indonesia (-3) secured second place and a quarterfinal berth, along with a ticket to the U17 World Cup later this year in Qatar. This marks the first time any Chinese men’s youth team has qualified for a FIFA world tournament since 2005.
China will face host nation Saudi Arabia, the Group A winners, in the quarterfinals on May 16. 