China U-17's challenge: 1682 meter altitude

The venue for the China U-17 team's matches in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup in Taif, Saudi Arabia, has another notable feature: its altitude of 1,682 meters. Regarding preparations for playing at high altitude, Kenichi Uemura mentioned two possible approaches: "One is to arrive at the venue two weeks in advance to acclimate, and the other is to go up to high altitude just two to three days before the match. However, neither of these options is realistic for us. Our approach is to rely on the overall cohesion of the team—whether starters or substitutes, everyone must enhance their tactical understanding and execution. No matter who takes the field, they must perform to the best of their ability."