China's players prepare for the women's football match against Brazil at the Tokyo Olympics in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, July 19, 2021. /Xinhua
China will meet their first opponent, Brazil, in the Tokyo Olympics women's football tournament on Wednesday.
Both manager Jia Xiuquan and his players consider the match a big challenge. The last time China beat Brazil was in the Summer Olympics in 1996 in Atlanta. Sun Yingmei and Wei Haiying scored the goals to defeat Brazil 3-2 in the semifinal.
The last time the two teams met was in the International Women's Football Tournament in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality in 2019, when China managed to draw 0-0 thanks to a resilient defense.
Marta of Brazil controls the ball in the SheBelieves Cup game against Argentina at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, U.S., February 18, 2021. /CFP
Though Brazil's lineup has been aging in recent years, they still have a stronger team on paper than China. This time, their squad is led by 35-year-old Marta, who has been named FIFA Women's World Player of the Year five times.
Therefore, in Wednesday's game, China should start with solid defense and wait patiently for an opportunity before exploiting it through the speed advantage of the team's ace striker Wang Shuang. Wang scored two goals in the second-leg Olympic qualification game against South Korea to help China achieve a comeback victory in the competition.
Brazil have many veterans on their roster. Speed can be their weakness and as the game goes on, they may run out of stamina faster than the Chinese players. Keeping firm defense first could enable China to get the better of them later.
Wang Shuang (L) and Wang Shanshan (C) of China prepare for the women's football match against Brazil at the Tokyo Olympics in Sendai, July 19, 2021. /Xinhua
The Chinese national team trained on Monday afternoon. Jia said they did simulations against Brazil in practice and achieved a better understanding of the opponents. "They are all in good form and have recovered from traveling fatigue. We are ready for Wednesday's game," said Jia.
China will play against Zambia on Saturday and the Netherlands on July 27.