When you’re a striker who starts a match on the bench, you spend most of your time thinking about how you just want to get out there and score a goal to prove to your coach you should’ve been starting. Wang Shanshan did one better — well, eight better.
China’s women’s soccer team is competing in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia this month. After opening group play with a 7-0 win over Hong Kong, Tajikistan was next up on the schedule. After having watched North Korea rout Tajikistan 16-0, China knew it needed a hefty amount of goal differential. However, it was just 3-0 at halftime and 6-0 when Wang came off the bench.
Wang Shanshan struck for nine goals from the 64th minute on, seven coming after the 80th minute, including three of China’s four stoppage-time goals. The highlights above are just absurd as the match finished 16-0.
As bad as the final score appears, it could have been much worse for Tajikistan. China took 65 shots, but only 33 of them were on target. If you’re a glass-half-full type person, the Tajikistan goalkeeper had herself one hell of a match, making 17 saves.
Wang Shanshan also scored against Hong Kong and North Korea, giving her the lead in the race for the Golden Boot at 11 goals. The defender-turned-forward scored at the 2015 World Cup and played against the USWNT in a recent friendly.
China won Group B with a 2-0 win over North Korea in the final group-stage match on Wednesday. After North Korea, Hong Kong also qualified as one of the top two third-place teams despite sporting a minus-15 goal difference.
Tajikistan ended the tournament in dead last with a minus-37 goal difference. However, they did manage to score a goal, holding Hong Kong to a mere 6-1 victory. And they were hardly the only country to struggle: Maldives finished with a minus-21 goal differential, and South Korea beat Indonesia 12-0.
The competition should become a little more balanced in the knockout rounds. China faces Thailand with either Vietnam or Chinese Taipei to come in the semifinals. The other side of the bracket is a bit tougher, with 2011 World Cup champion Japan taking on North Korea and South Korea playing Hong Kong. The final is August 31.
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