China's U15 team ended their East Asian Football Federation Championship journey on a high note, but the overall results might leave fans wanting more. On a Monday in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, China's young footballers secured a convincing 3-0 victory against Hong Kong, China.
This win, however, only secured them third place in Group A. The team's performance in the single round-robin competition consisted of one win, one draw, and one loss.
The game against Hong Kong saw China's offense come alive. The breakthrough came in the 28th minute when Sheng Chenxi's header, assisted by Li Yuxuan, put China in the lead. Then, in the 51st minute, Ke Bowen extended the lead with a well-placed shot, capitalizing on a pass from Sheng. The final goal came in stoppage time, directly from a corner kick, with Hong Kong's goalkeeper, Luo Jianfeng, unfortunately fumbling the ball into his own net.
Earlier in the second half, China had a goal disallowed for offside, following a corner kick. But here's where it gets interesting...
In other Group A matches, South Korea triumphed over Japan with a 3-0 score. Meanwhile, Group B saw Chinese Taipei defeat Macao, China 2-0, and Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands played to a 0-0 draw.
A total of eight teams participated in the tournament, divided into two groups based on the FIFA men's world ranking as of October 17, 2025. This raises a question: Does the ranking system accurately reflect the true potential of these young teams?
What do you think? Did China's performance meet your expectations? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
