China’s U17 national youth team, born in 2009, secured a 2-0 victory over Qatar in the final group match of the 21st U17 Asian Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, early on May 13. Goals from He Sifan and Zhang Bolin in the first and second halves ensured the team finished second in Group B, advancing to the quarterfinals and earning a spot at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar this November. It marks the first time in 21 years that China’s youth team has returned to the World Cup stage.
After the match, head coach Uchishima hurried to watch the Saudi Arabia vs. Tajikistan game, delaying the interview. Our reporter went directly to the team hotel and spoke with Uchishima upon his return.
Reporter: How do you feel now that China has finally secured a ticket to the World Cup?
Uchishima: First, I want to thank all the coaches who have worked with our 2009-born team, from grassroots and youth coaches to their current mentors. I’m grateful for their contributions to developing these players. I also thank the Chinese Football Association leadership, including Chairman Song, and Gao Sheng who supported and trusted me. And all the staff at our base who helped us—thank you all!
Reporter: Do you feel a sense of relief now?
Uchishima: Actually, I didn’t feel much pressure, but I can say it’s a relief.
Reporter: Your high pressing and tight marking tactics against Qatar were very successful, with goals coming from counterattacks after steals. How did you prepare for this?
Uchishima: These are things we practice regularly, and we emphasized them before the match.
Reporter: The journey was turbulent. After losing the first match to Indonesia and then to Japan, you finally won today. What was the key?
Uchishima: We never expected to qualify this way! We didn’t get desired results in the first two matches. After the losses, we worked hard to stabilize the players’ mindsets. I’m grateful for their efforts—that was the key to our success.
Reporter: If you could replay these three matches, what would you change most?
Uchishima: It’s hard to say since we can’t replay. If possible, I might choose a different starting lineup based on the players’ physical and mental condition at the time.
Reporter: Substitutions were quick today, but why was Xie Jin substituted late and then taken off again?
Uchishima: It was a tactical decision.
Reporter: There have been questions about your lineup, especially Pan Chaowei starting all three matches. Some think he didn’t perform well.
Uchishima: I don’t think Pan Chaowei had any issues. I believe he played well, which is why he started. Do you think he played poorly?
Reporter: I noticed too many sideways and backward passes, not enough forward balls.
Uchishima: In the match against Japan, our goal started from him, and we controlled the tempo from his position.
Reporter: Now that you’ve qualified, what are your plans for the quarterfinal against Saudi Arabia?
Uchishima: I haven’t formed a clear plan yet. I just watched 30 minutes of Saudi’s match and confirmed our opponent after the final whistle. We’ll start preparing immediately.
Reporter: Do you have further goals for this tournament?
Uchishima: We hope to play as many matches as possible and face strong teams to gain experience.
Reporter: This is the first time in 21 years China’s youth team has qualified for the World Cup. How do you feel as the coach who achieved this breakthrough, especially after the previous 2008-born team under your compatriot Uemura Kenichi failed?
Uchishima: As I said earlier, I’m full of gratitude for everyone who contributed to the team. I feel I haven’t let down their trust. As for the previous generation’s failure, I have nothing special to say.
