U23 China Lineup Announced for Semifinal! Antonio Makes 6 Changes, Kuai Jiwen Starts

For the 2026 U23 Asian Cup semifinal against Vietnam, China’s U23 national team has revealed their starting XI. Coach Antonio has made bold adjustments, changing six players from the previous match. Kuai Jiwen and Xiang Yuwang start, while Wang Yudong and Bai Helamu are on the bench.

Throughout the tournament, Antonio has mostly maintained a stable starting lineup, only making small adjustments due to injuries or suspensions. In the knockout stage, Liu Haofan and Bao Shimon returned from injury, giving Antonio more tactical flexibility. Captain Liu Haofan came off the bench against Uzbekistan and scored the first penalty in the shootout.

The only player unavailable for this semifinal is Yang Haoyu, who was suspended after receiving a yellow card in the last match. Compared to the Uzbekistan game, Antonio has made six changes: Liu Haofan replaces He Yiran, and the central and attacking midfield five players are all new starters—Chen Zeshi, Wang Bohao, Bao Shengxin, Xiang Yuwang, and Kuai Jiwen.

U23 China Starting XI – Semifinal:
16-Li Hao, 2-Hu Hetao, 4-Wumiti Jiang, 5-Liu Haofan, 15-Peng Xiao, 23-Yang Xi, 18-Chen Zeshi, 13-Wang Bohao, 21-Bao Shengxin, 7-Xiang Yuwang, 11-Kuai Jiwen
Substitutes: Wang Yudong, Bai Helamu