PERTH, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China head coach Ante Milicic said on Friday that he is pleased with the attitude of his players as the team prepares for Saturday's quarterfinal against Chinese Taipei.
Defending champion China finished the group stage with three straight wins in Sydney and arrived in Perth on Tuesday for the knockout stage.
Milicic told the pre-match press conference that the team has had to adjust to several factors on the trip, including the match schedule, recovery, a new pitch and a different kickoff time.
"But at the same time, I am very pleased with the attitude of the squad. The atmosphere is good, they look focused, and we have training now," he said. "Today hopefully we get through with everyone clear and then we look forward to the game tomorrow."
Milicic, who coached the Australian women's team on an interim basis from 2019 to 2020, said that as China's head coach, the pressure he places on himself is greater than anything coming from outside.
"I will work hard, I will do the best to my ability, not only myself but also my staff. When we go through our process, we believe that gives us the best chance of being successful," he said. "We remain calm and we're confident, we believe in our team, we believe in our preparation, and we're just taking it one game at a time, and hopefully we can put on a good performance tomorrow, and then that takes us further into the tournament."
China forward Wu Chengshu said at the press conference that the coach makes specific tactical plans before every match, and her job is to follow those arrangements, focus on herself and concentrate on the game.
Chinese Taipei advanced to the quarterfinals as the second-placed team in Group C after a 3-1 win over India in its final group match.
Head coach Prasobchoke Chokemor said at Friday's press conference that China has changed in several ways, including a faster tempo and the addition of talented young players.
He said Chinese Taipei remains confident about facing top-level opposition and that "we need to focus on ourselves and fight as a team."
"China is the champion, and everyone knows that. For this match, we will just try our best and fight as hard as we can, because it's a rare opportunity for us. No matter what the result is, it's still a very valuable experience," said Chinese Taipei midfielder Chen Ying-hui. ■
