Hao Wei’s China Steel Roses got their Asian Cup 2014 campaign off to a terrific start in Vietnam on Thursday evening, sticking seven goals past a hapless Thailand side. Striker Yang Li was the star of the show for Hao’s side, finding the back of the net on four occasions.
AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2014
China 7
Li Dongna 5′, Li Ying 8′, Yang Li 16′ 45′ 64′ 90′, Xu Yanlu 75′
Thailand 0
Realistically, all predictions prior to the match were a question of how big the winning margin would be, with Thailand far from renowned for the quality of their women’s side.
Those fears were quickly proven to be warranted as centre-back Li Dongna wasted little time in getting her name on the scoresheet with a scrappy goal from a corner, before the “Chinese Drogba” Li Ying showed her calm in front of goal to add a second after eight minutes.
Li, though, would end up upstaged by her strike partner on the night, with Yang scoring four times against an often laughably poor Thai defence.
Flying right-winger Xu Yanlu added what was the fifth of the night, somehow beating the opposition goalkeeper to a cross late in the second half, only for Yang to complete the Thai misery in injury time.
In the other game in Group B, South Korea outdid China by beating Myanmar 12-0 in a considerable show of strength. Hao’s side, though, should also comfortably dispose of the South-East Asian side and secure a berth in the semifinals which would guarantee participation at next year’s World Cup.
CHINA PR: Zhang Yue; Liu Shanshan, Li Dongna, Li Jiayue, Wu Haiyan [c]; Huang Yini (Zhao Rong 42′), Ren Guixin; Han Peng, Li Ying (Wang Chen 71′), Xu Yanlu (Gu Yasha 74′); Yang Li.
