【正确答案】Asian Football Cup
China's first match at the 2015 Asian Cup began yesterday with action against Saudi Arabia (China's first action in the 2015 Asian Cup saw the team pitted them against Saudi Arabia yesterday). Before the match began, the Saudi team from the Middle East seemed to have the edge/advantage as they had not lost to the PRC in the past 18 years. However, the squad suffered a blow before the kick-off, as their captain was rendered out of the tournament (was unable to dress) with an abdominal injury/an injury in the belly. The young Chinese team played well in the first half. But though they delivered some quality crosses, few resulted in/ created clear-cut scoring chances/opportunities. They almost took the lead three minutes before half-time when the Chinese midfielder found himself in space near the box. But he shot wide and the first half ended scoreless (the two teams were locked in a scoreless tie).
Saudi Arabia/The Saudis had a great opportunity to take the lead when a striker was brought down inside the box/the forbidden zone by a Chinese player and the referee awarded a penalty-kick. But the striker wasted/squandered his penalty shot, and the ball ran straight into the legs of the Chinese goalkeeper/keeper, who was then mobbed by his team-mates after making the save. With neither side able to seize control (As the battle for control raged on), the game became somewhat rough, and the referee reached into his pocket five times to issue yellow cards, three against/ to the Saudis and two against/ to China. With just ten minutes left in the match, a Chinese midfielder got the only goal after a stroke of luck when he banged his free kick into the back of the net. His left-footed shot from 30 meters out hit the back of one of the Saudi defenders and deflected away from the helpless Saudi goalkeeper (His left foot blast from 30 meters out deflected off the back of a Saudi defender to elude the helpless keeper and find the back of the net). The other match in Group B saw Uzbekistan beat the DPRK 1-0 (In the other Group B action, Uzbekistan edged out/ elbowed out/ eliminated the DPRK 1-0), and they now sit alongside China on top the group with three points. The second round of group play will take place on January 14th, with China facing Uzbekistan in a crucial game, and the DPRK taking on Saudi Arabia.