China coach tells players to be ‘calm’ in Asian Cup clash with Taiwan | Football news

China will face Taiwan in a highly charged quarterfinal in the already politically focused Women’s Asian Cup.

China coach Ante Milicic urged his players to remain “calm and confident” in Saturday’s Women’s Asian Cup quarterfinal against Taiwan.

The defending champions are targeting a record 10th continental title but are wary of an opponent who has shown improvement as the tournament progresses.

Taiwan were beaten 2-0 in the group stage.

“They gave Japan a very difficult game and then went on to win their next two games, so we know it’s going to be a tough proposition,” Milicic said ahead of the clash in Perth.

“But if we execute our game plan and perform to the level we know it will be, it will be enough for us to get the result.

“If we follow a clear process, stay calm and confident and take one match at a time, we can be successful and hopefully move forward in the tournament.”

Like China, Taiwan received strong support at the tournament in Australia, but it was not without controversy.

During their last match against India in Sydney, former Taiwan coach Chen Kui-jen was ejected from the stadium for leading chants of “Taiwan Jiayu” or “Go Taiwan”.

His removal led to protests from Taiwan’s foreign ministry to the Asian Football Confederation over “unequal treatment”.

Taiwan competes in international games under the name “Chinese Taipei”.

This is part of a political alignment with China that allows the island to participate in major competitions without presenting itself as a sovereign state.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory.

Taiwan coach Prasobchok Chokemor focused on football during his pre-match press conference on Friday.

“We can say we did well against Japan, holding them to a 0-0 draw in the first half,” said Thai.

“It will be a different game tactically, but if we focus on ourselves and fight as a team we are confident that we can compete against top-level players.”

Not just the semifinals but also qualification for the 2027 World Cup is at stake, with the top six booking their tickets to the Brazil showpiece.