China U19 Lose 2–4 to Australia U19

In the second match of the 2026 Yiwu International Youth Football Invitational Tournament, China’s U19 side fell 2–4 to Australia U19, with substitute Yang Mingrui netting a brace.

In the opening game on March 28, China U19 had edged Australia U19 1–0 thanks to a late winner from Yang.

China made wholesale changes to its starting XI compared with the first meeting, with Guo Wuyue the only player to start both matches. China threatened early in the eighth minute when Wei Xiangxin surged down the left into the penalty area and drove a low shot that was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 44th minute, China won a free kick outside the box, but Yang Yang’s direct effort curled over the wall and drifted narrowly wide. The sides went into the break level at 0–0.

Both teams made changes after half-time. Australia broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when they were awarded a penalty, which Mathias Macallister converted to make it 1–0. Eight minutes later, Australia doubled their lead on the counter-attack as Peter Antoniou beat the offside trap, went through one-on-one and chipped the ball home inside the area.

China pulled a goal back in the 67th minute following sustained pressure in the box. Yang Mingrui’s initial effort from the centre was blocked, but he reacted quickest to fire in with his left foot to make it 1–2. China then came close again in the 74th minute when Miao Rundong struck a direct free kick that hit the crossbar, rebounded off the goalkeeper’s back and then came off the post before bouncing out of play.

Australia restored their two-goal cushion in the 76th minute. A corner from the left was cleared to the edge of the area, and in the ensuing scramble Will Dobson collected the ball in the box, rounded goalkeeper An Zhicheng and finished from a tight angle to make it 3–1. Australia added a fourth in the 82nd minute as Amlani Tatu tucked in a close-range rebound on a swift break.

Yang completed his brace in the 87th minute, cutting inside from the left edge of the box and unleashing a powerful right-footed strike into the top-right corner, but China were ultimately beaten 2–4.

The result saw China U19 finish the invitational tournament with one win and one defeat.