China's U23 men's football team defeated Uzbekistan in a penalty shootout to take bronze at the Asian Games, finance.sina.com.cn reports. The result marks China's first medal in the men's football competition at the Games in 28 years, according to the same outlet.
Goalkeeper Li Hao saved two penalties in the shootout, finance.sina.com.cn reports. Wang Yudong scored what the outlet described as a long-range strike during the match. The bronze-medal game was level at 1-1 at half-time, per a separate finance.sina.com.cn report.
Coverage of the match was carried by several Chinese outlets, including Xinhua, which published photos from the bronze-medal fixture between China and Uzbekistan. China Youth Net reported on Li Hao's shootout saves and framed the win as China's men's team reaching the podium.
Hupu Sports reported that this is the first time China's men's football team has finished ahead of the country's men's basketball team at the same Asian Games. That claim comes from Hupu Sports and has not been independently verified here.
The medal ends a long wait for China in the men's football event at the Asian Games, with the last podium finish coming 28 years ago, according to finance.sina.com.cn.
What to watch next: whether Chinese football officials or the team comment publicly on the result, and how the squad's U23 players are used in upcoming fixtures.
