Shaanxi Youth Football Team makes debut in Kenya

Young footballers from China and Kenya have come together in Nairobi for a series of friendly matches, using the game to build friendships and learn from each other.

The Shaanxi Zhidan Under-11 youth football team played its first match in Africa against the NACHA Football Club Youth team, made up of players aged between eight and 11 from different parts of Kenya.

The match at a local primary school was closely contested, with both sides pushing each other throughout the game.

After the final whistle, the young players praised their opponents and reflected on the lessons they had picked up on the pitch.

"The opponents' positioning, spacing, long passes, and clearances were all very impressive. Their skills are excellent. I can tell they honed their skills playing on dirt pitches in Kenya. This match will help me improve," Cao Menghui of Shaanxi Zhidan Under-11 Youth Football Team said.

Victor Muinde Ngima of NACHA Football Club Youth Team hailed the Chinese team, saying, "They kept pushing themselves to their limits even though they were tired. They are not bad; next time they can be great if they work hard."

The following day, the Zhidan team returned to the pitch for a second fixture against another Nairobi-based Under-11 side, PCEA Umoja Football Club.

The match proved to be another closely fought encounter. Zhidan went into the break trailing but fought back in the second half to level the score and force a penalty shootout.

The Kenyan side eventually won the shootout by a single goal.

For the young Chinese players, however, the result was less important than the experience and determination shown on the field.

"I gained a new understanding of my love for football. I learned that in a match, you have to give it your all and never give up. We kept fighting until the very last moment. Although we lost, I gave it my best, and I'll keep striving next time," Yan Luxi of Shaanxi Zhidan Under-11 Youth Football Team said.

The matches also offered an opportunity for the children to socialize and forge new friendships. Players exchanged gifts, chatted and shared laughter after the games.

Ren Zhigang, the team Leader of the Shaanxi Zhidan Under-11 Youth Football Team, said that Kenyan children are very skilled on the ball and incredibly determined.

"We particularly want to learn from their competitive spirit and their positive attitude. We hope to bring this football culture back with us to Zhidan," he said.

The encounters in Nairobi provided more than just football competition, giving the young players from China and Kenya an opportunity to learn about each other's skills, cultures and sporting spirit.

For the children, the matches are memories that will go beyond the final score, with lessons in teamwork, inclusion, respect and perseverance likely to stay with them long after they leave the pitch.