Wuhan Women s Football Team Head Coach Chang Weiwei: Crossing the Mountains and Creating Glory

Xinhua News Agency, Wuhan, May 24 (Reporters Le Wenwan and Zhao Jiantong) After twice awakening from "near death", defeating the Australian Melbourne City Women's Football Team and winning the 2024-2025 Asian Football Federation Women's Football Club Chaegujiang Women's Football Team Head Coach Chang Weiwei lamented that it was "very difficult" and praised the players for creating a brilliant history.

At the post-match press conference, Chang Wei Wei lamented that "it's quite difficult." In the final that night, the starting goalkeeper Ding Xuan had a fracture of the transverse process, and the midfielder Chen Ying was also sent to the hospital for injuries to the knee meniscus. Chang Weiwei once said before the game that he hoped that the players would not be injured, "but for everyone's dream - the first AFC Cup can stay in China, Hubei and Wuhan, (we try our best) to create a brilliant history."

Looking back on the road to winning the championship, Chang Weiwei believes that the key to winning the championship lies in the spiritual level of the players. "When I went to Japan (in the quarterfinals), I told you that this is a mountain, and we have to turn it over. As for whether we can cross this mountain in the end, we have seen our spirit of unity. In the end, it may be that there are more things on the spiritual level than on the technical and tactical level."

Under the situation of 0:1 behind in the final, Wuhan team got a free kick opportunity in the final stage of stoppage time of 90 minutes. The Melbourne City player handballed in the penalty area. The referee awarded a penalty after checking the video. Wuhan local player Wang Shuang scored the ball in the 98th minute, and the score became 1:1, and then the game entered overtime.

"This game may have inspired the fighting spirit of our players after falling behind. Our young players have been greatly improved through the Women's Super League and National Games qualifiers. When they are behind, they have no scruples and have played a good role. When they are under pressure, they cause handballs to appear on the other side, allowing us to get penalty kicks." Chang Weiwei said.

Chang Weiwei believes that the core role played by important players in the finals is also crucial. "Wang Shuang has always been very strong in pressure resistance. She scored a key goal under pressure. Wu Haiyan and Ma Jun are in the backcourt, allowing us to find opportunities. At the critical moment, Yao Wei also stood up. In fact, her injury has not healed yet, but she intercepted with all her strength. Why can we win the championship? Because our core players can stand up and lay a solid cornerstone."

Wuhan Women's Football Team's AFC Champions League road is very difficult. Five days after achieving the women's five consecutive championships last season, Wuhan Women's Football Team entered the group stage of the Women's Football Team, but lost and won two in three group matches, barely qualifying for the third place; but in the knockout stage, they became more and more courageous, first eliminated the Urawa Red Diamond, the favorite to win the championship in the away penalty shootout, and then eliminated Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City Women's Football Team two goals in the semi-finals, meeting with the Melbourne City Women's Football Team in the final. (End)