Back on the winning trail

National team's last-16 victory at Asiad cheers fans amid tough times for Chinese soccer

The Chinese men's team's first knockout win in 25 years at the Asiad delivered long-suffering soccer fans at home a rare moment of joy.

With a crowd of over 38,000 roaring the Under-23 national team on to victory, the energy inside Huanglong Sports Center Stadium on Wednesday night was reminiscent of the day in October 2001 when Team China qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first, and so far, only time in history.

No one, however, was getting carried away enough to think the Under-23s' 1-0 last-16 victory over Qatar at the Asian Games was enough to repair Chinese soccer's tarnished image.