We can move on from tough World Cup group, says China’s Wu

CANBERRA, Apr 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese midfielder Wu Chengshuu is confident he will help his national side advance from a tough group that includes European champions England at this summer’s 2023 Women’s World Cup. said there is

Wu, who finished his first overseas season in Australia’s top division football league earlier this month, has made 10 appearances since joining Canberra United last November.

During his five months at the Australian capital club, the 26-year-old missed eight club appearances due to injury and international friendlies, but has performed in various positions including defensive midfielder, second striker and winger. He developed as a regular starter and scored two goals. .

After failing to score a fourth goal in a 3-3 draw with Melbourne City last week, Canberra United ultimately finished fifth in the 2022-23 season, narrowly missing out on the top four to reach the end-of-season final. I was. .

“That match was very important and was played in the same stadium as the men’s A-League match in Melbourne,” Wu told Xinhua recently.

“We were excited and everyone tried their best, but the result was disappointing. The coach praised our efforts this season and believed we could reach the top four next season. ”

Wu, who usually plays as a wide midfielder, has emerged as a key attacking force for the Chinese national team, scoring his first goal against Japan in the 2022 Asian Cup semi-finals.

After her first season in the women’s A-League, Wu said she could feel her career improving.

“It was my first time to experience a foreign league. Said.

“I’ve gradually gotten along with my teammates. I think I’ve made some progress because this league is physically strong and very competitive.”

Wu said the club praised her contribution and hoped to sign another Chinese player next season.

“Playing abroad means you have to take care of yourself, including cooking every day. Because when I did, the club had a chef and a canteen, so I have to think about what to eat today,” she said.

“But in less than a month, I got used to cooking and shopping in the markets here. I can feel how convenient life is in Canberra. Looking back on the season, it was a good experience.”

Before his interview with Xinhua, Wu had just returned from a training camp with the Chinese national team in Europe, where he had drawn 0-0 with Switzerland and lost 3-0 to Spain in two warm-up matches before the World Cup. rice field. It will be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20th to August 20th.

“European teams have gotten really good over the last few years. You can feel the gap,” said Wu.

“Take Spain for example, they were very calm and relaxed during the match, not to mention the physical advantage. I had.”

China, who were in Group D at the World Cup with England, Denmark and Haiti, won last year’s Asian Cup title but were not considered favorites.

It’s the first time women’s football’s biggest competition has expanded to a 32-team format, with only the top two teams from eight groups qualifying for the round of 16.

Despite the challenges, Wu hopes to continue improving in the next few months and is looking to show his style with his teammates on the world stage.

“We still have a lot of room for improvement. The gap is huge, but I think we still have a huge opportunity as long as we work to address it in our daily training and close it step by step,” she said. said.

“In the group stage, each team has different characteristics. We analyze our opponents well before each match and stick to our strategy.”

“I think my first goal is to qualify for the knockout stage, and then hopefully I can go further. Confidence is a must,” added Wu.