China won't sack coach after Asian Cup exit
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China's soccer governing body will not consider sacking anyone from the national team's coaching staff for their Asian Cup exit, said team leader Cao Jingwei after Sunday's group match.
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"No one will be laid off," Cao told press in the post-match mixed zone after China drew strong rivals Uzbekistan 2-2 at the last Group A match. "The team has achieved what they were asked for and has showed potential."
The third-ranked Chinese were thus eliminated from the Asian Cup with four points from three matches, while leaders Uzbekistan and hosts Qatar advanced. Kuwait, beaten 3-0 by Qatar on Sunday, were out, too, with empty hands.
Midfielder Yu Hai opened the scoring on six minutes for China following a corner in Sunday's do-or-die match, before Odil Akhmedov levelled it at 28.
Uzbekistan took the lead one minute into the second half through Alexander Geynrikh before Shalke 04 player Hao Junmin equalized with a well-curved free-kick on 56 minutes.
China had needed a victory by at least two goals to secure a last eight place after beating Kuwait and losing to hosts Qatar.
"Before the third and last match, our players were under huge pressure and desperate to get through the first round. They played a fine game, considering what they were shouldering," Cao said.
"The players fought so hard and we were satisfied with their performance," he added.
Head coach Gao Hongbo, who insisted it was unfair that Liu Jianye's jumping receiving against Uzbek forward Alexander Geynrikh resulted in a free kick, was sent off in the 88th minute for protesting the referee.
"I won't judge the chief referee and the fourth official," said Cao. "Everybody who watched the game knew what really happened. It's not necessary for us to say anything."
The team leader kept upbeat despite their Asian Cup journey ended in a disappointing way, saying the team learned a lot from the campaign.
"We see progress and hopes through the young squad and we believe that the Asian Cup experience would help the team play a better World Cup 2014 qualifying tourney," he said.
"The main task that the Chinese soccer governing body handed to the team is to make the young players more experienced, and we thought they reached the goal.
"Of course there're a lot we have to think about before the team heads forward, but there's no way we sack our head coach or any of the national team's coaching staff," he emphasized.
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