JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) — China lost 4-0 to Japan in the AFC U23 Asian Cup final on Saturday, but head coach Antonio Puche said the runner-up finish marked the start of a longer journey rather than a conclusion.
“We have the future,” the Spaniard told Xinhua after the match.
“First of all, I give the team a perfect 10,” Puche said. “The team’s performance throughout the tournament has been absolutely amazing. We improved match by match, and this is what we’ve been working toward.”
China entered the tournament seeded in the fourth pot and was drawn into a challenging group, but Puche said his players refused to be defined by expectations.
“We were in the fourth pot, but we didn’t let that define us. We…