Mumbai, Jan 18 (IANS): China is the most decorated team in the AFC Women's Asian Cup having won eight titles in all -- seven of these titles in a row. However, all their titles have come between 1986 and 2006 and they have not won the title since.
The Women's Asian Cup was a biennial event from 1975 to 2010 before it became a quadrennial event.
With the team set to play their opening match in the AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 against Chinese Taipei on Thursday, the question doing the rounds is whether China can regain the title they have won the most times.
However, China head coach Shui Qingxia said the team is not under pressure and is confident of doing well in the AFC Women's Asian Cup.
"As members of the Chinese national team, we wish to do our best and we wish to win the trophy definitely. It is important that during this competition we will have to perform what we have trained. I am confident that my team will do its best in this Asian Cup," said the head coach.
The coach Shui Qingxia, who will be handling her first international assignment, has had a successful stint as a player having won a silver medal for China in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
China's senior player Wang Shanshan said the event will be a great challenge for all the teams considering the prevailing conditions. "This women's Asian cup will be a great challenge for the women's national team of China since we are going to play against some very good talented teams from Asia. We will do our bewst to adjust to the conditions and do our best on this platform," she said.
China got a big boost for the Women's Asian Cup as its top player Tang Jiali, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur in Women's Premier League in England, reached India early on Tuesday morning.
"She (Tang Jiali) played a match in the Women's Premier League on January 16 and has reached India only at 3 am on Tuesday morning. She had a very safe journey and is waiting for her RT-PCR test result in her hotel room. So after the result comes, she will join the team and I am hopeful that she will be a very good part of the team and will do her best," said the head coach.
With Japan claiming the last two editions of the Women's Asian Cup and looking the favourite now after missing on a medal in Tokyo Olympics at home, China will be looking to regain the lost glory in India.