MELBOURNE, March 31 (Xinhua) -- China head coach Shao Jiayi said his players performed to the limit of their current abilities despite a 2-0 defeat to Cameroon in a FIFA Series match on Tuesday.
Speaking after the game, Shao acknowledged Cameroon was the stronger side but praised his team's attitude, effort and organization. "It is hard for me to ask for more from them," he said.
Shao said a lack of focus in the opening 10 minutes proved costly, although he believed his team performed well for the remainder of the match. He took responsibility for the early goals conceded.
"What we showed in terms of organization was not good enough in the first 10 minutes, especially on the first goal, which showed a lack of work on that aspect in training," he said. "From a coach's point of view, perhaps if I had spent another 10 minutes in training reinforcing it, the result might have been better."
On the tactical reshuffle after halftime, Shao said the team struggled with an unfamiliar formation in the first half and had not spent enough time working on attacking patterns within that system. A return to a more familiar setup improved cohesion in pressing and proved a positive adjustment.
He also highlighted the physical gap between the sides, noting that Cameroon's strength often forced China to commit two or even three players to contain a single opponent.
"At the Asian level, we cannot find a team this strong," he said.
Shao added that the match should serve as a reminder for players to further develop their individual abilities.
"These players all have potential. When they return to their respective clubs, they will demand more of themselves, because they have now felt what a world-class team is like," he said.
He added that the FIFA Series format had provided valuable experience, giving China the chance to face a team like Cameroon and better adapt to playing away from home.
China opened its campaign with a 2-0 win over Curacao in Sydney on March 27. ■
