2024 Paris Olympics: Chinese fans turn on AFC coach of the year Shui Qingxia, after Games bid ends in failure
- In a 1-1 draw with South Korea, China fail to claim the best group runner-up spot and are eliminated from the tournament
- This will be the second time since the sport’s Olympic debut in 1996 that China will not take part
Head coach Shui Qingxia watched her Olympic dreams crumble as China’s women came up short in their bid to reach Paris – the same night she was named AFC women’s coach of the year.
Needing to beat South Korea to progress beyond regional qualifying, the teams battled out a 1-1 draw, preventing both from claiming a place in the third round as the best group runners up.
With only four points from their three games, China finished third in Group B, behind North Korea and South Korea, but ahead of Thailand.
The draw marked China’s third-straight tournament without success, after setbacks at last year’s East Asian Football Federation Championship and this summer’s Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Playing at the Xiamen Egret Stadium in front of 22,000 fans, striker Wurigumula thought she had put China ahead after 20 minutes, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
South Korean defender Shim Seo-yeon’s header gave the visitor’s the lead just after the hour mark.