China PR get set for France campaign

Published on: 19 July 2018

Two names are due to be cut before the final squad of 21 is announced, but the former Denmark women's national team boss is already sure to be without star goalkeeper Peng Shimeng, who has been called up for 2018 Asian Games Indonesia duties.

Peng, 20, helped China qualify for the global event with a third place finish at last year's AFC Women's U-19 Championship, but has since become a regular for the senior national team, playing every minute of the side's AFC Women's Asian Cup 2018 campaign in April.

Her absence from the U-20 squad opens the door for Xu Huan (pictured below), who served as Peng's goalkeeping understudy in both tournaments.

Jin Kun, another player to have tasted senior international football in 2018, has been selected, as have AFC U-19 Women's Championship standouts Liu Jing and Wang Yanwen, while dynamic 16-year-old midfielder Shen Mengyu has also made the cut.

All but one of the squad are domestic-based, with only Zhao Yujie - who represents Florida State University in the American college system - playing abroad.

Bonde's side will take part in warm-up matches against the United States and England before beginning their FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup campaign against first-time qualifiers Haiti on August 6, with meetings against Germany and Nigeria to complete their group stage fixtures.

China PR reached the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2004 and 2006, but have not advanced beyond the group stage since, in a competition that has only ever been won by Germany, the United States and defending champions DPR Korea.

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China PR Provisional Squad - FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018

Photos: Chinese Football Association, FIFA via Getty Images

Source: the-afc.com

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