China’s future star Wei Shihao scores in 2-2 draw against South Korea
The youngster makes a memorable international debut as Marcello Lippi’s youthful team hold their own against Koreans, while Japan pip North Korea with injury-time strike
Wei Shihao enhanced his burgeoning reputation as a future star of Chinese football on Saturday evening, claiming his first international goal on his debut for Marcello Lippi’s side as a youthful China drew 2-2 with South Korea in the opening game of the East Asian Championship in Tokyo.
The Shanghai SIPG striker, one of six players aged 22 or younger in the starting line-up, put China in front just nine minutes into the game before the defence succumbed to the aerial prowess of towering Korean striker Kim Shin-wook.
Kim scored one and set up the second for Lee Jae-sung in the opening 45 minutes as Shin Tae-yong’s side came back from Wei’s early goal, only for Beijing Guoan’s Yu Dabao to mark his return to the China team with the equaliser 14 minutes from time.
“These six young players took a month’s vacation after the Chinese Super League season and before coming to Japan for this championship and they performed well,” said Lippi.
“They showed us their strength during the match today, even though they are young. That’s their characteristics. In January we have the Asian Under 23 Championships and I expect they will play well in that.