The U17 national football team faces a critical group stage match against hosts Qatar on May 13 at 0:00 Beijing time in the U17 Asian Cup. Kuong Zhaolei, a key midfielder, is expected to make his comeback after recovering from injury.
Kuong missed the first two group games as the team struggled offensively, scoring only one goal. His absence raised questions, with some bloggers criticizing his inclusion in the squad while still nursing an injury. Despite two consecutive losses, China still has a chance to advance to the knockout stage and secure a spot in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. They need to beat Qatar by at least two goals and hope Japan defeats Indonesia.
Ahead of the decisive clash, sources revealed that Kuong participated in full team training on May 11 and is likely to feature as a substitute. The team’s fate now hinges on a strong performance against the host nation.
