China beat India 3-1 in four-nation soccer tournament in Myanmar

The Chinese U-19 football team defeated the Indian U-19 team 3-1 in the four-nation football tournament at the Thuwunna Youth Training Center in Yangon Saturday evening.

Four teams -- China's U-19, India's U-19, Bangladesh's selection (with an average age between 23 and 25) and host Myanmar's U-23 -- will continue to compete up to Nov. 2 at the Grand Royal 2005 Challenge Cup football tournament, sponsored by the Myanmar Football Federation.

Zhang Wenzhao scored the opening goal with a header for the Chinese U-19 team through a pass from his teammate Xia Ningning at the 16th minute. India's Lalmalswama Hmar equalized it with a long-range kick from outside the penalty area of the Chinese side 16 minutes later.

Huang Jie made the second goal for the Chinese team at the 40th minute. The Chinese players got many great chances in the first 45-minute but they could not convert them to goals and the Chinese U-19 led the Indian U-19 2-1 after the first half.

Bouncing the ball home from a close-range in the Indian box by Wang Qiang at the 52nd minute sealed the victory for the Chinese team.

Throughout the match, the Chinese team received 12 corner kicks and the Indian side two. Zhang Wenzhao won Man of the Match award.

The Chinese coach Jia Xiuquan said at a press briefing after the match that the Chinese U-19 team is a reserved team as most of his major players are participating at the national games in China, adding that the Indian U-19 team is a good team, having teamwork and good potential.

When asked by Xinhua about the Chinese team which they encountered today, the Indian coach Suresh Babu said "the Chinese U-19 played well and they are physically superior than my team and they could utilize the chances today. They have good future."

Participation of both the Chinese team and the Indian team in the Challenge Cup is to prepare for the upcoming AFC U-20 Football Tournament in November in China's Macao.

In the second match of the Challenge Cup on the same day, the Myanmar U-23 beat the Bangladesh selection 2-1. Myanmar led Bangladesh 1-0 in the first half.

In the first day of the Challenge Cup, the Bangladesh selected team defeated the Chinese U-19 3-1 and the Myanmar U-23 whitewashed the Indian U-19 11-0.

The Chinese U-19 will meet the Myanmar U-23, while the Indian U-19 with the Bangladesh selection on the third day of the tournament on next Monday.

Source: Xinhua