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China men's hockey team eye their first Asian Champions Trophy as they will begin their campaign on 3rd August 2023.
China can be considered the underdogs of the tournament, having struggled against bigger teams at the international level. However, the team's progress has been on the rise over the years.
They won silver in the 2006 Asia Games, Bronze medals in the 2009 Asia Cup. Also, in 2018, the team made it to the World Cup for the first time in history. They finished in the 10th position.
In the Asian Champions Trophy, China featured in the first four editions but could not make it to the 2018 and 2021 editions. They are returning to the Asian Champions Trophy after two editions and will be raring to go in Chennai.
Where did China finish in Previous editions of the Asian Champions Trophy?
China has mostly finished in the bottom half of the Asian Champions Trophy points table. In the 2011 edition, the team captured the sixth spot. In the 2012 and 2013 editions, they finished fourth. In their last appearance, in 2016, the team ended in the fifth spot.
In 2016, their only win in the tournament came against Japan. Notably, in the 2012 and 2013 editions, the team finished the league stage in the 3rd spot with three wins and two losses. They faced Malaysia in the 3rd/4th place match, where they ended on the wrong side of the result.
China Schedule in Asian Champions Trophy
China will be tested hugely on the first day of the tournament, as they take on the hosts India in the night match. In the second match, they will face Malaysia, followed by South Korea in the third. The team will play against Pakistan and Japan in the final two league matches of the Asian Champions Trophy.
- India vs China, August 3, 8.30 pm
- China vs Malaysia, August 4, 6.15 pm
- China vs South Korea, August 6, 4.00 pm
- Pakistan vs China, August 7, 6.15 pm
- Japan vs China, August 9, 4.00 pm
China squad for Asian Champions Trophy
Goalkeepers: Caiyu Wang, Weihao Wang
Defenders: Weibao Ao, Jiesheng Gao, Chengfu Chen, Shihao Du, Junjie Liu
Midfielders: Zixiang-Guo, Suozhu Ao, Lei Meng, Chen, Bo Zhang, Ao Xu, D Pan
Forwards: Wenhui, Changliang Lin, J Huang, Benhai Chen, Chongcong Chen, Weijiang Zhu
3 China Players to watch out for in this Asian Champions Trophy
The Chinese hockey team is comparatively young in experience. The team's most experienced player is Weibao Ao with 109 official appearances for his country. Weibao Ao, the captain of the China team, is known for his attacking skills and versatility.
Zixano Guo is one of the experienced players in China's line-up. The midfielder, who was a part of China's World Cup team, will hold the key in Chennai as well. Since 2013, Guo Zixano has played in 48 matches for China and has scored four goals for them.
Xiaoping Guo's energy in the field has often lifted China to perform better in pressure situations. In the 2018 World Cup, he scored the first-ever World Cup goal for China. Notably, China made an impact on their debut by holding England 2-2 in their opening match.
