5 to 0! In the China-Korea showdown, the Chinese side achieves a decisive first victory, Wuhan Three Towns remains humble despite the win.

Han Bing reporting from Dingnan, Jiangxi 5 to 0! On the second day of the China-Korea confrontation, the Chinese team recorded their first big win over the Korean team. Wuhan Three Towns’ youth squad, including four U15 national players, completely outclassed Yongin FC. Prior to this, in six matches over two days, Chinese teams had failed to win in regular time, with one draw and five losses. Wuhan Three Towns not only became the first Chinese team to defeat a Korean team within regular time, but their 5-0 victory also stands as the largest margin of victory for Chinese teams in this competition so far.

Last year, Wuhan Three Towns trained in Korea, achieving six wins and one loss in seven friendly matches. This experience gave them an edge in understanding the style and strength of Korean teams in this tournament. In contrast, Yongin FC had some players suffering from colds and were not at their best. Wuhan Three Towns started with three players—Chen Yiyu, Yang Hanyue, and Zhang Chen—who had been selected for the U15 national training squad. The match was fast-paced and intense, with high pressing from both sides lasting for half an hour. However, the game shifted in the 32nd minute due to a careless mistake. Wuhan Three Towns’ No.18 Cai Yihang pressed aggressively, and Yongin FC’s Hong Yongbin made a mistake near the baseline while taking a goal kick; the ball hit Cai Yihang and bounced into an empty net. Three minutes later, Wuhan Three Towns’ No.12 Zhao Cenrui took a right-side corner kick, and No.10 Zhang Chen headed the ball into the net to double the lead.

In the second half, Wuhan Three Towns grew even stronger and completely dominated the field. They scored two goals within the first three minutes. At the 42nd minute, No.17 Chen Kaidi delivered a corner from the left side, No.9 Chen Jiaqi passed it to the back post, and No.20 Zhu Zimo finished decisively. One minute later, No.7 He Haoxuan broke through two Yongin FC defenders down the left flank and crossed a low diagonal pass, allowing No.9 Chen Jiaqi to make it 4-0. At the 55th minute, He Haoxuan passed back from the left wing to the center, Chen Jiaqi transitioned the ball to Cai Yihang, who skillfully evaded three defenders and scored into the bottom left corner, sealing a 5-0 victory. Wuhan Three Towns not only controlled the match but also showed remarkable efficiency in combining wing and central attacks as well as set-piece plays.

Notably, during the match, Wuhan Three Towns proposed unlimited substitutions to give more players the chance to gain experience, a suggestion that Yongin FC welcomed positively. After the game, Wuhan Three Towns’ team leader Sun Longwei said the team’s participation in the China-Korea confrontation was mainly for exchange purposes. The score was not the priority; gaining more match experience for young players was what mattered most. The team hopes for more opportunities for such international exchanges and values the high-quality training this event provides for all players.

Despite the large margin victory over the Korean team, Wuhan Three Towns’ head coach Long Cheng showed no excessive joy but gathered all players for a summary. He emphasized that every player must cherish the hard-earned opportunity to train and give their best whenever on the field. A big win is not a reason to lower personal standards; improving through matches is more important. Team leader Sun Longwei mentioned that considering four main players selected for the U15 national training squad would leave soon, preparations had already been made to develop more players. Regarding future matches against stronger opponents, he believes giving players as much playing time as possible is the priority, with results not being the main goal.

Yongin FC’s team leader Yoon Seok-jun expressed dissatisfaction with both the players’ performance and the result. He stated the team faced objective challenges such as long travel, a tight schedule, and players suffering from colds, which prevented them from performing at their best. Especially after consecutive matches against strong teams like Shanghai Port and Wuhan Three Towns, the players faced tough tests. Nevertheless, he affirmed that the team would not change their “training through competition” plan and would continue inviting Chinese teams for friendlies, aiming to maintain a schedule of two matches per day while considering player health and injuries.

Wuhan Three Towns’ first big win against a Korean team has set an example and boosted confidence for other domestic teams participating. It is believed that upcoming China-Korea confrontations will be even more exciting and competitive.

From January 10 to 20, the “462 Cup” First China-Korea Youth Football Elite Challenge, organized by Football Newspaper and the Dingnan County Government, is held at the National Youth Football Training Center in Dingnan, Ganzhou, Jiangxi. The event invites 12 top domestic youth teams and 4 elite Korean squads, focusing on 2011 and 2012 age groups. Over 10 days, the competition aims to promote China-Korea football exchanges, deliver high-quality matches, and deepen elite youth training development.