Liaoning U18 Men's Football Team Wins Gold at National Games, Sets Record with Zero Goals Conceded in Open Play

Reporter Wang Wei, Shenzhen On the night of October 25th, the Shenzhen City Stadium was brilliantly lit as the final match of the 15th National Games football event for the men's under-18 category unfolded. Liaoning and Shandong fought fiercely for 120 minutes with no clear winner, until Liaoning edged out Shandong 5-4 in a tense penalty shootout to claim the gold, with Shandong finishing second and Guangdong, the host team, taking third place.

This final was seen as a battle between two local young coaches: 44-year-old former national player Zhang Yaokun and 40-year-old former national player Zhou Haibin. The men's U18 final at the National Games also attracted attention from the Liaoning Provincial Sports Bureau, Dalian Sports Bureau, Dalian Yingbo Club, Shandong Provincial Sports Bureau, and Shandong Taishan Club management teams, with many officials present at Shenzhen City Stadium.

Notably, Liaoning had not conceded a single goal in previous matches, demonstrating very solid defense, but the suspension of Yang Mingrui, who plays for Chinese Super League’s Dalian Yingbo, did impact Liaoning’s attacking capabilities to some extent.

Shortly after kickoff, Shandong repeatedly threatened inside Liaoning’s penalty area. Li Yuanjie created the first danger with a turn-and-shot inside the box, and Wang Tanyou scored a goal that was disallowed due to offside. Twenty minutes later, Liaoning made a decisive substitution to strengthen their defense. Ma Mingwei’s header struck the crossbar. Both teams created multiple chances but failed to change the scoreline. The first half ended goalless at 0-0.

After the break, both sides intensified their attacks, eager to break the deadlock. At the 67th minute, a controversial moment occurred: Shandong player Wang Yi fell inside the penalty area, prompting referee Jin Jingyuan to immediately award a penalty. Liaoning players were furious, but after VAR review, Jin Jingyuan determined that Peng Shunjie had cleared the ball first and overturned the penalty decision.

Shandong continued their offensive efforts, seeking scoring opportunities and taking several shots that narrowly missed against Liaoning’s defense. After 90 minutes, the score remained 0-0, sending the final into extra time.

An important moment in the last minute of extra time saw Liaoning’s starting goalkeeper Wang Tian’ai injured and leave the field. Liaoning replaced him with substitute goalkeeper Ju Mingze, who had previously been brought on in the semifinal on October 23rd and delivered a remarkable performance in the penalty shootout to eliminate Jiangsu.

After 120 minutes, the match proceeded to a penalty shootout. Both teams scored their first four penalties. In the fifth round, Liaoning missed their shot first, giving Shandong the chance to decide the game. However, Shandong’s goalkeeper Yi Hesan’s penalty was heroically saved by Liaoning’s substitute goalkeeper Ju Mingze, leveling the score again. In the sixth round, Liaoning scored while Shandong missed, securing a 5-4 shootout victory and the gold medal in the U18 men's football competition at the National Games.

Liaoning’s substitute goalkeeper Ju Mingze said after the match, “I’ve been in good form saving penalties recently, so the coach assigned me to come on for the shootout. When the opposing goalkeeper was preparing for the fifth shot, I thought to myself, I must save it. That save inspired us; deep down, we all had a dream of winning the championship.”

Post-match, Liaoning player Yang Mingrui from Dalian Yingbo said, “I missed the final due to two yellow cards, but my teammates were very united. Even watching from the sidelines, I felt proud seeing them win the shootout. Our defense was very cohesive, with aggressive tackles to block threats. The championship is closely linked to such hard work.”

Liaoning player Zhang Chengrui told reporters after the match, “It’s been many years since the National Games football title returned to Liaoning. Every member of our team is extremely happy and excited.” Regarding the zero goals conceded in open play, Zhang said, “Coach Zhang demanded strong defense from the start. Every defender gave their all. Defense is crucial in cup competitions, whether it’s our backline or pressing up front, we worked very hard. The goalkeeper substitution before penalties was the coaching staff’s decision and the best choice. Winning the National Games championship is very significant; it is the largest domestic tournament. This title recognizes my past efforts, and I hope to win more championships in the future. I also hope my teammates from the National Games team all develop well, learning from senior players like Wu Lei, and use this platform to achieve better growth.”

This National Games gold is the Liaoning U18 team’s first in 12 years and also marks head coach Zhang Yaokun’s first National Games title in 24 years. For the players at this age group, the tournament has provided invaluable experience.

After the match, Zhang Yaokun humbly stated, “Overall, we were slightly weaker than our opponents, so our main strategy was not to concede. If we couldn’t score, then at least don’t let in goals. The boys fought hard for 120 minutes. Good defense requires a lot of effort and is exhausting, so I think their performance was excellent. Winning on penalties involves some luck, but since the semifinal I told the players that success in shootouts is not just luck. It requires skill because standing up to take penalties after 120 minutes of play is already very challenging. Scoring under such pressure involves luck, but it’s not only luck.”

Regarding not conceding any goals in open play, Zhang said, “I believe solid defense is fundamental in cup competitions. The two finalists were the teams with the fewest goals conceded in this tournament. We didn’t concede at all, while Shandong conceded one. In such a tough competition format, maintaining strong defense and not losing is very important.”

Although Ju Mingze came on earlier than planned, Zhang said the coaching staff had prepared for this, “If the match went to penalties, we planned to switch goalkeepers. This was part of our overall match strategy.” Both head coach Zhang Yaokun and assistant coach Li Wenbo were defenders during their playing days at Guangzhou R&F in the Chinese Super League, and Zhang believes having defensive-minded coaches helps the team’s defensive guidance, “Since we were defenders ourselves, we have deeper insights into coaching defense.”

After Liaoning’s victory, Wang Dong, Deputy Director of the Liaoning Provincial Sports Bureau, said at the scene, “Liaoning football has once again realized the dream of winning the National Games. This achievement was very hard-earned. This team gathered the best football talent from across Liaoning Province. I want to thank the Dalian Sports Bureau, Dalian Football Association, Dalian Yingbo Football Club, Shenyang Sports Bureau, and Liaoning Ironman Football Club for supplying outstanding players who overcame strong opponents and demonstrated Liaoning sports’ fighting spirit. Winning the championship greatly boosts the morale of the Liaoning delegation for the upcoming 15th National Games and invigorates the spirit of the team. It also provides strong momentum for the rising and revitalizing Liaoning football.”