An inspired second-half performance from Wang Shuang has kept China’s FIFA Women’s World Cup hopes alive after a 1-0 win over Haiti at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday night.
Surprisingly left on the bench for a second straight match by Shui Qingxia, the Racing Louisville star made all the difference for the Steel Roses as she sparked life into a Chinese attack that looked lifeless in the opening 45 minutes.
China entered the game knowing they needed to take all three points to keep alive their hopes of extending their streak of making the knockout rounds at every Women’s World Cup in which they have participated.
Spurred on by a largely parochial Chinese crowd, it was the reigning Asian champions who had the best of the early running with Lou Jiahui in particular looking threatening at the point of the attack.
But the 32-year-old was too often isolated in attack, lacking support from those either side of her which made it easy for the Haitian defence to control the risk she posed.
Too often in attack the Steel Roses lacked the creativity and technical ability to prise open the Haitian defence, with rudimentary football the order of the day.
It made the decision to start the team’s most creative and attacking threat, Wang Shuang, on the bench for the second straight game all the more puzzling.
The game was turned on its head in the 37th minute when Zhang Rui was shown a straight red after an ugly tackle on Sherly Jeudy saw VAR intervene after referee Marta Huerta had initially only shown a yellow.
Qingxia, as a result, opted to make Jiahui the sacrificial lamb, choosing to add another body in midfield, but perhaps more crucially, it allowed Haiti to get a foothold in the game after being clearly second best up until that point.
The half-time interval saw the introduction of Wang Shuang, which immediately added an extra dimension to the Chinese attack, but it was Haiti that came closest to opening the scoring.
After the Chinese defence failed to clear their lines from a corner, the ball fell invitingly for another half-time substitute, Melchie Dumornay, who saw her goal-bound effort heroically saved by Zhu Yu to keep the scores locked at 0-0.
The added quality of both Wang and Dumormay breathed life into the game, and suddenly both sides looked threatening going forward.
Zhang Linyan looked a different player in the second half, finding space on the right and it was from such an opportunity that she drove into the box to win a penalty for her side with just over 15 minutes remaining.
While the offside flag momentarily threatened to kill the moment, a VAR intervention came to China’s rescue as the penalty was confirmed, which was coolly converted by Wang to give her side the lead.
VAR would prove to play a decisive role in the game in the final quarter hour, with China’s claim for a second penalty moments later turned away, while a penalty for Haiti was overturned after another VAR intervention.
As full-time approached, China retreated further back and invited pressure from Haiti who threw everything at the Steel Roses, but it was China who emerged victorious to keep their campaign alive heading into the clash of the continental champions next week.
Embed from Getty ImagesTHINGS WE LEARNED
China need more strings to their bow: While the injection of Wang Shuang breathed life into the Chinese team, their first half performance was as disappointing as the second half was impressive. There was little imagination in how they attacked, and even less connection between the attack which appeared disjointed and devoid of ideas.
Wang Shuang must start: If her performance against Denmark wasn’t enough proof for Shui Qingxia, then Wang Shuang’s Player of the Match performance in the second half should be all the proof she needs to unleash her best attacking threat from the start against England when their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds go on the line.
Zhu Yu stands tall: Having watched the opening match against Denmark from the bench, Zhu Yu got her opportunity between the sticks against Haiti and she made the most of her opportunity with a match-changing save early in the second half to deny Melchie Dumornay and keep the scores locked at 0-0.
Embed from Getty ImagesWHAT THEY SAID
Lin Mengwen
“After the win, we are definitely more confident (ahead of England), but right now we have to have a good recovery and prepare for the next game.
“It was wonderful, it was like a home game. We got so much power from the Chinese fans.
“Every player was so good, like Zhang Linyan and the defenders. Everyone was so important. So I am so proud of us.
WHAT COMES NEXT
China will ride a wave of confidence into their final Group D encounter against England, also at Hindmarsh Stadium, on Tuesday evening. The Steel Roses will likely need to take something, most likely a win, from the European champions in order to advance to the knockout rounds.
