Goalkeeper Li Hao admits to using a water bottle 'ploy' to defeat Uzbekistan U23.
China's U23 hero, Li Hao, revealed that reading the notes on the water bottle was just a psychological tactic to put pressure on his opponent during the penalty shootout at the 2026 U23 Asian Championship.
In the tense atmosphere of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup quarter-finals on the evening of January 17th, goalkeeper Li Hao relied not only on his exceptional reflexes but also on a special "weapon": psychological warfare. After China's nail-biting victory over their arch-rivals Uzbekistan, the goalkeeper frankly admitted that his act of checking the notes on his water bottle was actually a meticulously staged scenario.
Deviousness at the penalty spot
China's U23 team advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Uzbekistan 4-2 in a tense penalty shootout. Prior to that, the two teams played a dramatic 120 minutes without a goal. Li Hao, who had kept four consecutive clean sheets in the tournament and made seven saves in this match, once again became the center of attention.
As soon as the penalty shootout began, the cameras continuously captured Li Hao's defiant expressions. Most notably, before the second penalty kick, he deliberately moved behind the goal to examine a water bottle with a note attached. This action was believed to have distracted the opposing players.
The truth behind the notes
Although previous reports suggested that Li Hao possessed data on his opponents' penalty shootouts, the reality was much simpler. In an interview with 163.com after the match, Li Hao laughed and admitted: "We prepared small notes for each match and tried to conceal them. In fact, none of our opponents played according to what was written on the notes. It was just a way for us to create psychological pressure."
This assessment aligns with an analysis from Sohu, which suggests that detailed data on individual players is often scarce at the youth level. Li Hao's pretense of studying documents led to the Uzbekistan players missing two penalties, including one that he successfully saved.
The challenge for Vietnam U23 in the semi-finals.
This victory not only propelled the Chinese U23 team into the next round but also served as a strong warning about their mental fortitude. With a goalkeeper in top form and possessing unique psychological tactics, the Chinese U23 team will undoubtedly be a formidable opponent.
On January 20th, Coach Kim Sang Sik's team will face China U23 in the semi-final. This will be a true test of Vietnam U23's character, especially their ability to maintain focus in the face of psychological tactics, which are a specialty of their opponents.